106 



branches of low trees, among grass, moss, and heather; also 

 under stones, and loose bark. When young they are among 

 the most frequent of gossamer spiders, and may often be taken 

 while floating in the air upon their silken lines. The snare of 

 these spiders is a thin horizontal sheet of web stretched among 

 the leaves and shoots of plants and trees, or among the blades 

 and stems of grass, as well as over small cavities in the surface of 

 the ground. Over, under, and around this sheet of web are some 

 other lines crossing and recrossing in various directions. These 

 lines no doubt serves to entangle small insects and precipitate 

 them upon the web, where they are quickly seized by the spider, 

 who lies in wait, either benoath in an inverted position, or else 

 close by. Up to the present time eighty-three species of NeriSne 

 have been recorded in Britain, and of these fifty have been found 

 in Dorsetshire. 



The remarks made upon each of the following species must be 

 taken to apply to the males only, excepting where otherwise ex- 

 pressed. As a general rule the difference between the males and 

 females of these little spiders consists of the larger abdomen of 

 the latter, and the absence of any elevation or eminence that may 

 exist on the caput, or thorax, or anyspeoialdevelopmentofthefalces 

 of the male ; the colours in the two sexes are, almost always, nearly 

 alike. 



NERIENE ATRA. 



Neriene atra, Blackw., Lond. and Edinbro., Phil. Mag., 3 Sor., 

 iii., p. 195. 



„ LONGrPALFis, Blackw., Spid. Great Brit, and Irel., p. 

 274, pi. xix., fig. 188. 



The length of the male is about l-10th of an inch ; that of 

 the female a little more. 



This, and the next two, are among the most easily identified 

 species of the group. The caput is considerably raised, the falces 

 are protuberant near thoir base, and are armed, in front, with 



