84 



nearly allied, it is, however, of a much plainer oolour, the 

 hues seldom varying beyond brown of different shades, and 

 light yellow-brown, deepening to reddish in the males. The 

 characteristic pattern of 'Theridion formosum is generally observable 

 in the present species, which is found, almost invariably, in green- 

 houses, conservatories, and hothouses. But one instance is, I 

 believe, known of its being found in any other situation ; in that 

 instance I found an adult male in the Eectory garden at Blox- 

 worth, where there is neither greenhouse ftor conservatory ; nor is 

 there one in the village; I look upon this, however, as an 

 accidental occurrence. The spider may possibly have been 

 brought from the nursery-gardens at Blandford, with plants, or 

 flower pots, among the moss and other packing materials. 



Theridion tepidariorum has an exceedingly wide range ; being 

 dispersed over the whole of Europe, as well as in various exotic 

 regions, Australia and New Zealand; and it appears to be always 

 found in such situations as I have mentioned. It has occurred 

 in various parts of England, and I have also met with it in the 

 Botanic Gardens, at Edinburgh. 



Since writing tho above I have found a second example of tho 

 male in the porch of Bloxworth Eectory. 



THERIDION KIPAEIUM. 



Theridion kipaeium, Blaclcw., Spid. Great Brit, and Irel., p. 

 182, pi. xii., fig. 115. 

 This is another spider nearly allied to the two foregoing, but 

 much smaller, and darker coloured than the last. Tho length of 

 the male is £th of an inch, that of the female rather more. 

 The abdomen is of a rich, chocolate red-brown, with white mark- 

 ings; anditisalsorathersmallerthan Theridion formosum; its habits 

 are to spin its irregular snare among roots and grass stems under 

 overhanging banks, and in this snare is suspended a rather long, 

 cylindrical, silken tube, which the spider encrusts with particles 

 of earth, bits of dead leaves and dry sticks ; within this tube the 

 female lives and forms her egg-cocoon. The pattern found in 



