Arachnida. 5019 



it soon clambers again if undisturbed. The web of this species (one 

 of the geometers) is frequently placed in a horizontal position, but 

 not always so, as has been stated, it being often extended vertically 

 or obliquely. 



After leaving the garden I found several spiders secreted beneath 

 some loose pieces of bark on some old palings near the village 

 church. One, occurring here in considerable abundance, was Epeira 

 umbratica, a fine spider, having very much the aspect of a small, flat- 

 tened toad ; it is not uncommon in various parts of England, but is 

 strictly nocturnal in its habits (preying chiefly upon moths), and 

 therefore not often seen ; it constructs a large, strong web, having 

 wide intervals between the radii, which it frequently fixes between 

 posts and rails, in a vertical position. I here found also an adult 

 female of Clubiona epimelas, a species closely resembling Clubiona 

 amarantha, but larger in size, darker in colour, and much less com- 

 mon. I now extended my walk towards some thick woods, at a short 

 distance from the village, and soon came to a still piece of water, 

 partly surrounded by wood, and covered with floating plants. In the 

 bushes and trees bordering and overhanging the water I noticed nu- 

 merous specimens of Tetragnatha extensa, a common spider in the 

 neighbourhood of water, which constructs a delicate geometric web 

 of moderate size, formed of large meshes, and having a circular aper- 

 ture in the centre. This species is said mostly to wait for its prey 

 stretched out in the centre of its web ; but I often found it concealed 

 beneath a leaf in the vicinity of its snare. I noticed one individual 

 lying in its usual extended position (whence its specific name), upon 

 the upper surface of the floating leaf of a pondvveed [Potamogeton 

 ?ia(ans), a short distance from the bank. 



A small brook issued from the pond, and meandered across a 

 neighbouring field, passing through and forming a considerable piece 

 of swampy ground. The surface of this marsh was literally swarming 

 with different species of Lycosa, the females of which were running 

 about with their egg-sacs or cocoons attached to their spinners. 

 The most plentiful species was the common Lycosa saccata, which, 

 though frequently met with in dry and elevated localities, also fre- 

 quents watery places. I here discovered a new British species, 

 Lycosa piscatoria, Koch, a pretty aquatic spider, bearing a consider- 

 able resemblance to L. piratica, but darker in colour, and rather dif- 

 ferently marked. I also found the pretty little Lycosa latitans, Blk. 

 (L. palustris, Koch), which I had never seen before, except in the 

 valley of the Conway, in Wales, while on a visit to my friend Mr. 



