96 



what differently armed. As yet this spidor has only been found 

 among coaise sedgy grass in a swamp near Bloxworth. 



GENUS STEATODA, Sand. THEEIDION, Blachv. in part. 



Tho legs aro strongor in this genus than in Theridion, and 

 the other foregoing genera, and the eyos are placod on a rather 

 projecting prominonce at the fore part of the caput. The 

 surface of the cephalo-thorax and sternum is ofton of a 

 roughened, punctuoso, or granulose nature, and the form of the 

 abdomon is quite different from that of Theridion, with which 

 it is united by Mr. Blackwall ; in Steatoda the abdomen is oval, 

 but instead of being excossively convex and globular above, it 

 is, though considerably convox, rather flattened on the upper 

 surface Eight species are recorded as British, but four only 

 have been found in Dorsetshire 



STEATODA BIPUNCTATA. 



Aranea bipunctata, Linn,., Syst. Nat. Ed. 10 i, p. 620. 

 TrtERiDioN QTJADP.IPUNCTATUM, Blackw., Spid. Great Brit, and 

 Irel., p. 177, pi. xiii., fig. 112. 



The length of the male is l-6th, and that of the female l-4th 

 of an inch. 



Tho cephalo-thorax is prominent in front, of a dark reddish- 

 brown colour, and (together with the sternum) is covered with 

 impressed points, or punctures. The general colour of .the 

 abdomen is a somowhat purplish, livid brown; a curved, marginal, 

 whitish line runs round tho foro[oxtremity of its upper side ; and 

 down the middle there is a longitudinal, white stripe, consisting 

 generally of a row, moro or less connected, of spots and markings 

 of clifforent sizes, and crossed at its hinder extremity, some way 

 abovo the spinners, by another transverse whito stripe. All these 

 whito markings, however, vary considerably in form and extent, 

 in different examples. The uppor side of the abdomen has its 

 central portion often much paler than the rest; and has also 

 uomo deep red-brown improssed spots, or punctures, arranged in 



