245 



tolerably distinct, broad, longitudinal, brownish green, or 

 brownish yellow band, whose margins are somewhat dentated, 

 and darker than the rest, with occasionally a brown or black 

 marking here and there ; along the middle of this band runs a 

 pale, brown narrow stripe, emitting a strong, oblique, lateral 

 one on each side near its fore extremity, and various finer and 

 much shorter ones betwoen that and the under part of the 

 abdomen. On each side of the central band is another broadish 

 one of a silvery yellow ; below this on each side is a brown band, 

 then a silvery longitudinal stripe, forming a lateral margin to 

 the under side, which is of a brown hue. 



The male is loss distinctly marked than the female, and usually 

 paler coloured. 



Although so variable in colours, this species cannot be mistaken 

 for any other known British spider, there being, as yet known, 

 nothing like it to be found spinning an orbicular snare. 



Its favourite haunts are ditches, brooks, and other damp places, 

 overgrown with bushes and rank herbage, among which it con- 

 structs its web. This is of slender texture, and has a void place 

 in the centre ; its usual position when at rest is with the first and 

 second pairs of legs stretched out forwards in a straight line, the 

 third pair ofton at right angles to the body, and the fourth pair 

 in straight lino backwards. This position, probably, gave rise to 

 its specific name, externa — " stretched out." 



It may be found in the adult state throughout the summer, 

 from the months of May and June, and it is an abundant spider 

 throughout Great Britain. 



GENUS CYCLOSA, Menqe. CYETOPHOEA, Sim., Camor. . 

 and EPEIBA, Blachv., in part. 



Tho spiders of this genus may be easily distinguished by the 

 form of the hinder part of the abdomen ; this is always more 

 or less elongated, sometimes into one, at other times into two or 

 more prominences, which frequently have a somewhat tuber- 

 cubforin appearance. 



