46 



Tlio cophalo-thorax of this fino and showy spider is black with 

 a short rod tapering hand on the hinder part of each lateral 

 margin. The legs are short, strong and black, ammlatcd with 

 white, and furnished with red hairs on the femora of the second, 

 third, and fourth pairs. The palpi aro also black with white 

 annuli, and tho abdomen, which (as well as all tho rest of tho 

 spider) is thickly clothed with short hairs, has the upper sido of 

 a bright scarlot red, with four large black spots, edged with 

 white hairs, forming a square ; and often botween this square 

 and the spinners are two other similar, but smaller, spots in a 

 transverse lino ; the underside is black with a white spot near its 

 hinder extremity, and tho spiracular plates are clothed with red 

 hairs. 



The claim of this beautiful species to bo British rested, up to 

 a recent date, solely on tho authority of the late Dr. Loach 

 (Encyclop, Brit., Supplement to the 4th, 5th, and Gth editions). 

 No reference is, however, given either to the finder or tho 

 locality, nor yet to the date of capture. An adult male example 

 (now in my possession), one of two examples captured by the 

 lato J. C. Dale, Esq., of Glanvilles Wootton, a few years ago, 

 on Parley hoath, between "Wimborno and Eingwood, and within 

 tho limits of the county of Dorsot, is thorofore tho first, and as 

 yet the only, authentic instance of its occurrence in England. f 



Few spiders have been the occasion of greater differences of 

 opinion among araehnologists, as to their systematic position, 

 than this ono. It has been placed by one or another in the most 

 widely separated positions. By tho majority it is placed among 

 or near the SaUicides. Conceiving, howover, that it has no 

 really true affinity with them, I have placed it hero as a separate 

 family immediately beforo tho Genus Dictyna (Fam. Dictynides) 

 with the most typical members of which it appears to me to 

 have very much in common, both in structuro and form.* One 



t I have lately learnt that an adult male was taken at Bournemouth in 

 1874, and is now in the British Museum collection. 



* In a recent publication, Dr. V. Bertkau, an eminent German arachnolo- 

 gist, assigns a very noirly similar position to Eresus. Verb., d. Nat. Vor. 

 Jahrg. xxxiv., iv. Bd., p. 273. 



