201 



brown, angular lines down the middle of the upper side; in 

 others it is of a brownish-yellow hue with black angular lines, 

 the latter often entirely obsolete or represented by a few black 

 spots, or by one or two black markings ; examples also occur 

 intermediate between the black and the pale ones. 



The female is larger than the male ; its abdomen is much 

 more convex above, and projects considerably over the base of the 

 cephalo-thorax. A small, rather narrow, elongate process, a little 

 enlarged at its extremity, is directed backwards from the genital 

 aperture. 



An abundant species among underwood, on furze bushes, and 

 on the lower branches of oak trees, in the months of May and 

 June, at Bloxworth, as well as in other parts of Dorsetshire. It 

 occurs also in the North of England and in Scotland. 



LINYPHIA ERIOEA. 



Linyphia ERioffiA, Blackw., Spid. Great. Brit, and Irel., p. 237, 

 pi. xvii., fig. 159. 



The male measures about l-iotii or 1-Hth of an inch in 

 length. 



The caput is not elevated, and is only very slightly prominent 

 at the ocular region. The cephalo-thorax is of a pale yellowish 

 colour, slightly tinged with brown ; the legs are rather long, 

 slender, of a pale yellow colour, and the spines are of great 

 length, but also light coloured. The palpi are short, slender, 

 and similar in colour to the legs. The radial joint is stronger 

 than the cubital, but both are very short. The digital joint is 

 very small, and of a round-oval form ; the palpal organs are 

 complex, the most noticeable process being a not very con- 

 spicuous, curved, or crescent-shaped one at their base on the 

 outer side ; near the middle of the upper (or posterior) edge of 

 this process is a small, sharp-pointed, thorn-like prominence or 

 spine, whose point is almost in contact with the extremity 

 of the radial joints. The abdomen is of an almost uniform pale 

 yellowish-brown colour, rather darkest underneath. If there 



