240 



The abdomen has the upper side almost covered by a longi- 

 tudinal, broad blackish-brown marking ; it is much the broadest 

 and roundish on the sides, at its fore extremity ; and then it 

 tapers gradually to the spinners, with black, sinuous, or rather 

 curvi-dentated, margins ; within this marking is a longitudinal 

 series of white transverse ones connected by a central band of 

 the same hue ; it is also otherwise more or less mottled with 

 white. The longitudinal series of white markings just mentioned 

 represents (and in some examples very distinctly) the dagger- 

 shaped pattern traceable, more or less clearly, on the abdomen of 

 most species of this and the next few genera ; in some examples, 

 however, it forms a series of decreasing white triangles. On 

 each side of the central tapering marking is a more or less 

 clearly denned, white, longitudinal, roughly dentated band. The 

 sides are brown, mottled with white, and the under side has a 

 broad, longitudinal, central, black-brown band margined distinctly, 

 but not broadly, with yellowish-white ; and there are two or three 

 distinct spots of the same colour, in a curved row, close on each 

 side of the base of the spinners. 



The above abdominal pattern is exceedingly variable both in 

 the depth of its colouring and in the distinctness of its markings. 

 Some examples are brightly tinted in parts with red-brown, 

 yellow, and greenish. Males are sometimes darker but usually 

 less distinct in their markings than females, and their legs have 

 no dark annotations. 



This is perhaps the most common and universally distributed 

 of all British spiders. There are two principal broods of the 

 adult form, one in spring and early summer, the other in late 

 summer and autumn. The former are very small compared to 

 the latter, and usually less richly marked. Mr. Blackwall has 

 described those of tho spring brood as a distinct species under 

 the name oi*JEpeira Mengii. I have, however, examined, and care- 

 fully compared numerous examples of both broods, and have 

 compared, them also with Mr. Blackwall's own types of JSpeira 

 Mengii, and can find no reliable specific difference whatever. 

 * Ann, and Mag. N. H. 4 Ser., iv., December, 1869. 



