299 



The female is by no means so easily distinguished from that 

 of Xysticua viaticua as the male ; perhaps the most reliable dis- 

 tinguishing character is tho commonly far less strong, and 

 shorter, bristles on tho cephalo-thorax and abdomon. There is, 

 however, some slight difference in the spiny armature of the 

 fomora of tho first pair of logs, though I am not yet convinced 

 of its constancy; and the abdominal markings are usually 

 paler and less distinctly dofinod. 



Xysticus cristatus is ono of our most abundant and generally 

 distributed British spiders. It is found in spring and summor in 

 fiolds and waste grounds, among grass and horbago as woll as on low 

 plants and furzo bushos, also among moss and under stones. 

 Tho malos may often be seen crossing roads and pathways at a 

 swift paco, as woll as on bar© sheltered patches, sunning 

 themselves under tho fringe of grass or other surrounding 

 horbago. So far as my own experience goes I havo not 

 found Xysticua cristatus in any abundance, in fact scarcely at all, 

 in the locality where Xysticua viaticua has frequently occurred, 

 though, no doubt, they do occur together. In order to guard, 

 as much as possiblo, against mixing the females of the two 

 speoies together, thoso of this sex, found where the males of 

 Xysticua viaticua occur in plenty, should be kept carefully 

 soparate from all othors. 



XYSTICUS riNI. 



Thomisus pini, Eahi., Die Arachn. I., p. 26, tab. viii., fig. 23. 

 Xystictjs atjdax, C. L. Koch, Blachw., Spid. Great Brit, and 

 Irel., p. 70, pi. iv., fig. 39, sub Thomisua. 



This spider is very closely allied to Xysticua cristatus, Clerck. ; 

 it is, however, usually rathor smallor. Tho malo measuring If 

 to 2J- lines in longth, and the female from 2J to 3 linos. 



The general pattorn of Xysticus pini closely resembles that of 

 Xysticus cristatus, but its colouring is commonly richer, tho 

 darkor parts (of tho malo especially) being much more nearly 

 black, and tho lighter parts ofton white. There is, however, a 



