85 



the two foregoing species, of curved linos on tho upper part and 

 sides of the abdomen, is found also in this spider, and constitutes 

 its chief characteristic markings. 



A single example of tho adult male was found under a heathy 

 lodge near Poole, in the month of June. It is not uncommon 

 iu North Wales ; and I met with it once in great abundance 

 among the Austrian mountains near Isclil. 



THERIDION SISYPHIUM. 



Araneus sisypiiius, Clcrck., Sv. Spindl., p. 54, pi. 3, Tab. 5. 

 Tiieridion nervosum, Blaclcw., Spid. Groat Brit, and Irel., p. 

 180, pi. xiii, fig. 116. 



This is one of the most abundant, and generally dispersed 

 among British spiders ; and perhaps also one of the prettiest. 

 The length of the male is l-7th of an inch, that of the female £th. 

 Itis found on most low-growing plants and shrubs, especially upon 

 furzo bushes and hollies ; among the small shoots and branches 

 of these it spins, in the spring and early summer months, an 

 irregular maze of lines crossing and recrossing each other in 

 every direction ; many spiders often form their snares close to 

 one another, and so make tho whole plant, or bush, a mass of 

 web. Tho egg cocoon is of a rounded form, and dull green 

 colour, and is suspended beneath a pretty, dome-shaped, tent- 

 like, retreat, or sometimes enclosed in a leaf, and carefully 

 watched over by the mother. The little tent, and indeed other 

 portions of the web, are usually covorod, and sometimes almost 

 concealed, by tho debris of insects, bits of dead loaves, and other 

 substances; these are stated by some authors to have been 

 purposely placed there by the parent spider ; but, in the absence 

 of direct evidence to this offect, I am inclined to think that 

 their presence, though unavoidable, is unintentional on the 

 spiders' part. 



Like the foregoing species the abdomen of the female 

 is very large antl globular ; it is prettily varied with lines 

 and markings of reddish, white, brown, and yellow ; two broad, 



