FAMILY THOMISIDES. 



S ,HE spiders of this family present a general form and 

 appearance impossible to be mistaken, and running 

 \2/ through all its genora. This strong family-character 

 results from a, generally, short and broad cophalo-thorax and 

 abdomen, with long antorior (and somotimos also posterior) logs, 

 articulated laterally, i.e., stretching put on each side almost at 

 right angles to the body. Their movements also are unlike 

 those of any other spider, being laterigrade or sideways like a 

 crab, to which, in fact, very many of the most numorously repre- 

 sented genus (XysticusJ are exceedingly like. Tho Thomisides 

 spin no snare, but catch their prey by lying in wait and enfold- 

 ing it with their long fore legs when it is within reach. They 

 are found in numerous situations ; on the baro ground, among 

 heather, coarse grass, and herbage of all kinds, also on bushes, 

 and trees, under stones, and in the blooms of flowers. Tho 

 males, for the most part, run very swiftly, and lead a kind of 

 vagabond life. The eyes are always eight, usually small, and 

 placed in tho form of a semi-circle ; thoso of the lateral pairs 

 being more or less widely separated. Tho terminal tarsal claws 

 are two in number, and tho spinners short and compact. 



Seven genera, containing in the whole 42 British spocios, are 

 comprised in this family. All the genera, and 32 spocios, have 

 boon found in Dorsetshire. 



GENUS THOMISUS, Walck. (Thor). THOMISUS, Blachw. 

 in part. 

 Cephalo-thorax broad-oval, truncated in front, and moderately 

 contrictod on the lateral margins ; the upper fore-corners of the 

 caput are strongly and conically protuberant, tho protuberances 

 being divergent (or directed outwards). The eyes are very 



