13 



constant, but variable within pretty wide limits in different indivi- 

 duals of the same species ')• 



I accordingly still continue in the belief, that E. pyramidata 

 is only a variety ( Var. y nob.) of E. marmorea. The intermediate 

 form, our Var. is comparatively very rare. According to Dar- 

 win's theory one might explain this by supposing that the species 

 is on the the point of dividing itself into two species ( Var. a and 

 Var. y), while the weaker transition-form ( Var. #) is dying out. 

 But as long as no difference of form has arisen between the two 

 chief varieties, and more particularly as long as an intermediate 

 variety exists, all the varieties must of course be grouped together 

 as one species. — It is remarkable, that whereas Var. y {E. pyra- 

 midata) is not rare in England, Var. a {E. marmorea) has not yet 

 been observed there. 



Some interesting varieties of "E. scalaris" are mentioned by 

 Lucas 2 ), one for ex. where the large dark spot of the abdomen is 

 longitudinally divided through the fore half. — Cederhielm has ob- 

 served, that in one specimen of n Ar. scalaris" the yellow colour of 

 the abdomen changed to purple-red 3 ). 



Scopoli's and Eisso's above cited synonyms are very uncertain, 

 especially the latter's. On the other hand I should not have a doubt 

 that E. vnsularis Hentz is a perfectly certain synonym, were not 

 that spider indigenous in North America. — Ar. regalis Panz., usually 

 cited under E. quadrata, belongs undoubtedly to E. marmorea. — 

 Ar. ocellatus Clerck, which Walckenaer (Ins. Apt., II, p. 47) refers 

 to his E. scalaris, is a variety of E. patagiata (Clerck) C. Koch. — 

 E. Jenisonii C. Koch, which Walckenaer considers as the same spe- 

 cies as E. marmorea, is without doubt a separate species. 



(Pag. 30.) 5. E. quadrata [= Epeira quadrata (Clerck) 1757]. 



Syn.: 1757. Araneus quadratus Cm;rck, Sv. Spindl., p. 27, PI. 1, tab. 3. 

 ?1763. Aranea reaumurii Scop., Ent, Cam., p. 393. 



1) Blackwall has found that the number of spinning-tubes varies with the 

 age of the spiders, and that sometimes it is not the same on the left and on 

 the right spinner of the same pair! — Vid. Blackw. , On the numb, and struct, of 

 the mammula! etc. (Transact, of the Linn. Soc. , XVIII, P. n, p. 222). 



2) Hist. Nat, d. Crust., d. Arachn. et d. Myriap. , p. 424. — Note sur une 

 var. de l'Ep. scalaris (Ann. de la Soc. Ent. de France, 3 Ser., I, Bull., p. iv). 



3) . . memoratu digna mihi visa est mutatio colons sulphurei in colorem 

 laete purpureum, quem aranea nostra, in scatula per spatium trium fere hebdo- 

 madum asservata et oblivionis vitio omni cibo destituta, induit." (Fauna; Ingricae 

 Prodromus, p. 194). 



