177 



Found, but rarely, among heather and under old turves, on 

 Bloxworth Heath in spring and early autumn. It is also 

 found in other parts of England, as well as in Scotland and 

 Wales. 



GENUS LINYPHIA, Latr. LINYPHIA, Blachw., in part., 

 + NEEIENE, Blachw., in part., + 

 THEBIDION, Blachw., in part, + 

 BATHYPHANTES, Menge, in part, and 

 BOLYPHANTES, Menge. 



The genus Linyphia comprises a large assemblage of small, 

 and moderate sized spiders, most of which have the abdomen 

 very convex above (except in some males) and generally orna- 

 mented with a distinctive pattern ; but the colours are usually of 

 a sober kind, confined commonly to white, black, and brown of 

 various shades, with different tints of a yellowish hue ; a few 

 species have some richer colouring as Linyphia peltata, Wid., 

 L. hortensis, Sund., L. marginata, C. L. Koch, L. triangularis, 

 Clerck., and L. clathrata, Sund. In general the caput is not 

 specially raised above the thoracic level, though in the males 

 of some species it rises gradually from it, and projects consider- 

 ably forwards ; and in one, Linyphia alticeps, Sund., it is drawn 

 out into a conical point between the eyes. 



The maxillm are usually straight ; tolerably long and strong ; 

 and either parallel to each other, or a little inclined to the labium, 

 which is semicircular or subtriangular. 



The eyes are of moderate size, placed in two transverse rows, or 

 three groups, generally well removed from the base of the 

 f alces. A central group of four, forms nearly a square with a pair, 

 the eyes of which are placed obliquely, and close to each other, 

 on either side. 



The legs are long, slender, armed with distinct spines of 

 varied length and strength in different species ; their relative 

 length is 1.2.4.3. or 1.4.2.3. 



