227 



pendicular lines, fixed to the adjacent leaves and twigs, and 

 similarly braced down by other linos on the under side. There 

 are, besides, numerous irregular lines crossing and recrossing in 

 various directions, chiefly above; and the spider sits in an 

 inverted position beneath the horizontal sheet, awaiting the 

 entanglement of any passing insect in the upper maze of 

 insidious lines. It is a common spider at Bloxworth in thick 

 garden hedges, and shrubberies, and is very partial to fences 

 and bushes of yew, holly, box, or white thorn. It is also found 

 throughout the United Kingdom. 



LINYPHIA TRIANGULARIS. 



Araneus triangularis, Clorck., Sv. Spindl. p. 71, pi. 3, Tab. 2. 

 Linyphia Montana, Blackw., Spid. Great Brit, and Irel. p. 211, 

 pi. xv., fig. 138. 



The length of the male is from l-4th to l-5th of an inch. 



The profile of the caput and thorax is nearly straight, a slight 

 dip only occurring between them ; and the ocular region is a 

 little prominent, as also is the lower part of the clypeus. 



The colour of the cophalo-thorax is yellow-brown with a 

 central, longitudinal, narrow, blackish band, furcate at its 

 anterior extremity, and a less dark and distinct one on each side 

 considerably above, but parallel to, the margin. The legs are 

 long, slender, of a brownish yellow colour, the femora tinged 

 with a greenish hue ; the spines are numerous and prominent 

 but not very long. The palpi are long, but similar in colour to the 

 legs. The radial joint is stronger than the cubital, and both are 

 short; the digital joint is small, and the palpal organs are 

 prominent and complex, with a fine spiral 6pino at their 

 extremity, surrounded by thin membrane. The falces (of the 

 male) are long and very divergent, their length varies in different 

 individuals, and probably increases with age ; in some examples 

 the development is excessive, exceeding the cephalo-thorax in 

 length, and giving the spider a most formidable appearance. 



The abdomen (of the female) has, on the upper side, a broad, 



