T4 EL mi 



FAMILY EPEIEIDES. 



HIS family includes a considerable assemblage of British 

 spiders, mostly of fair size, bright colours, and dis- 

 tinctive pattern. All of them spin snares of a more or 

 less perfect orbicular or wheel-shape, consisting of numerous 

 linos radiating from a centre and crossed by a spiral line at 

 regular intervals from the centre to the circumference ; a portion 

 of the spiral line is usually studded with minute globules of a 

 transparent, adhosivo substance exuded from the spinners and 

 intondod for the better entanglement of insects. 



The Epiiirides may be characterized, generally speaking, as 

 possessing a cephalo-thorax longer than broad, and strongly 

 compressed, on the lateral margins, at the caput. The legs are 

 usually strong, and armed with spines, and in addition to three 

 terminal tarsal claws there aro several other strong spines near 

 the ends of the tarsi, on the under sido ; these additional spines 

 aro pectinatod, and used for the purpose of stretching a line by 

 pressure of the leg, just as the terminal claws are used for the 

 same purpose by hauling upon the line ; thoy also assist the 

 spidor in travorsing the lines of its wob. The palpi are 

 ordinarily short, with a largo digital joint; the palpal organs 

 consisting of a very complex congerios of spines and processes. 

 This, however, is subject to many exceptions, especially in the 

 genera, Meta, Tetragmtha, Zilla, and others (the latter mostly 

 exotic). 



Tho abdomen is variously formed, cylindrical, oval, and sub- 



