344 



when in bloom ; a few are semi-aquatic and able to continue 

 for some time under water. Some species form cylindrical holes, 

 of considerable depth in the earth, lining' them with a slender 

 lining of silk. The females bear their egg cocoons about with 

 them, generally attached to the spinners. The female also 

 carries her young, crowded upon the abdomen, for some 

 days after they are hatched. The affection of the female for 

 her egg-cocoon is so strong that if it be taken from her she 

 will seize it in her falces and carry it off again and again, if 

 repeatedly deprived of it, though at last she will probably give 

 it up in despair. 



The division of the Lycosidcs into genera, satisfactorily 

 and sharply characterized, is by no means easy, owing 

 to their great similarity in many important points of structure. 

 All those formerly known (excepting two or throe) were included 

 by the older araneologists in one genus — Lycosa ; but as the 

 known species became more numerous some subdivision was felt 

 to be necessary. The generic division I have followed here is 

 chiefly that of Dr. Thorell. M. Simon and Dr. 0. L. Koch have 

 lately adopted a considerably different one, for which there is 

 much to be said in its favour, though at present it does not 

 appear to me to be entirely tenable ; not, however, having yet been 

 able to study it sufficiently, I have (for the present at least) 

 adhered to that adopted in 1874, Linn. Trans, xxx., p. 332, with a 

 slight alteration only. According to the subdivision here adopted, 

 six genera are found in England, all of them having representa- 

 tives in Dorsetshire. These six genera comprise 34 species, of 

 which, however, nearly half are included in one genus — Lycosa. 

 Of the 34 species 25 are found in Dorsetshire. 



Almost all Lycosids present a very characteristic pattern both 

 on the cephalo-thorax and abdomen ; and by the differences 

 and modifications of this pattern we can in most cases readily dis- 

 tinguish species which in other respects are remarkably 

 similar to each other in general appearance The pattern on the 

 abdomen consists of an elongate, more or less narrow, oblong 

 marking along the middle of the fore half, ending either in a 



