5066 Arachnida. 



will be an acquisition to our seas. I have now seen three specimens, the seven black spots 

 present in all. I possess a specimen of Rhombus arnoglossus, also taken from a cod's 

 stomach, but I cannot satisfy myself that it is that species. — Thomas Edivard ; 16, 

 High Street, Banff. 



Occurrence of Atypus Sulzeri in Britain.-r-As you, I see, read a paper on Atypus 

 at a meeting of the Linnean Society, may I inform you that when I was in London, 

 in October last, I detected, in one of the store boxes of Foxcroft, three examples of 

 this spider, one of which I sent to Mr. Blackwall and the others I reserved for Mr. 

 Meade. The locality (from the information he gave me of it) is somewhat doubtful ; 

 he got them from a friend, I understood him to say in Cumberland: the species was 

 taken apart from any webs, having, I supposed, habits of Lycosa or Salticus. It is 

 very curious that such a rare and almost unknown species should have been discovered 

 twice, at about the same time. — Hamlet Clark ; Northampton, March 15, 1856. 



Note on Atypus Sulzeri. — Although no arachnologist, I have read with much in- 

 terest the note by Mr. Newman on Atypus Sulzeri of Latreille (Zool. 5021). One of 

 the authorities quoted, and referred to therein, observes, in his remarks on the nests or 

 tubular cells, " They are composed of very fine silk, closely woven throughout, white 

 or whitish within, and covered exteriorly with yellowish or brownish particles of sand, 

 which give the tube a dirty appearance externally, but inside they are always neat and 

 clean.'' Is it then probable — nay, more, is it possible — that each time the inmate 

 captures a worm (on which it is supposed to feed) it should break through the walls of 

 its tubular residence, which is described by Walckenaer as being very close, fine and 

 white, resembling tbe cocoons of some Lepidoptera f Mr. Newman's correspondent 

 also remarks, " In that portion which is exposed and is distended more than the rest, 

 I sometimes discovered one or more minute openings, protected or covered by a little 

 valve or door." Having commenced these observations by saying that I am not con- 

 versant with Arachnology, I of course approach the subject with some diffidence; but 

 after a careful perusal of the note I am inclined to think that the Atypus does not ob- 

 tain worms in the manner suggested, for, if so, would not the "brownish particles of 

 sand found exteriorly" fall through and soil the white carpet-like lining? to say 

 nothing of the "neat" cell being periodically — perhaps daily — converted into what 

 might be called a slaughter-house. And what cleansing, what sweeping together of 

 fragments after each repast would be required! to say nothing of the labour of re- 

 pairing the breach (an ever-recurring task) in the walls of this " closely woven cell." 

 In the second place, is it not more natural to suppose that the Atypus should by night, 

 if not by day, let itself out where there are " minute openings, protected or covered by 

 a little valve or door." If any elasticity exists in the silk the egress of the spider 

 would probably be effected easily enough, but even without that. Surely if we can 

 bring ourselves to believe that each time it seizes a worm it must necessarily break 

 through, and partially destroy the sack, we may reasonably suppose it capable of 

 breaking through a few threads at the external end, " which is distended more than 

 the rest." And although represented as sluggish by day it may be active enough by 

 night, as most nocturnal animals are. The absence of all appearance of food in the 



