97 



(Pag. 195.) VIII. ERIGONE [= Erigone (Say. et Aud.) 1825—27 



+ Pholcomma Thor. 1869]. 



The study of the spiders belonging to this interesting genus 

 has hitherto been comparatively neglected, and this neglect is no 

 doubt to be attributed, partly to their diminutive size, and partly 

 to the great similarity prevailing among the females of the different 

 species. The descriptions, at least the older ones, are, as regards the 

 female sex, usually such, that it is impossible from them to recog- 

 nize the form intended; many a 2 is sometimes mated with one 

 and sometimes with another cf ; the females of many species are 

 utterly unknown. In consequence of the imperfect knowledge we thus 

 possess of the female sex of the genus Erigone Westr., the following lists 

 of synonyms must, unless the contrary be directly stated, be consi- 

 dered as applying only to the males, which are comparatively easily 

 distinguishable, and in general well described or figured: I have also 

 thought it best in my remarks concerning the characteristics, by 

 which nearly allied species, or species that have been confounded, seem 

 to me most easily distinguishable, to confine myself to that sex, 

 when no especial cause required the contrary. 



For the effecting of a distribution of the numerous species be- 

 longing to this group into several good and natural, smaller ge- 

 nera, a more complete examination of the females seems also to be 

 indispensable. In a previous work (On Europ. Spid., p. 85—87), 

 I had separated Walckenaera (Blackw.), Thor. from Erigone, the former 

 genus being nearly identical with Micryphantes C. Koch , Ohl. , cet. ; 

 but having subsequently found that the differences which distinguish 

 the males of these two genera do not always exist in the females, 

 I have been obliged here to reunite Walckenaera with Erigone. — 

 E. gibba Westr. is the same species as Therid. (Pholcomma) projectum 

 Cambr. : v. inf. sub E. gibba. — With regard to other attempts that 

 have been made to resolve Erigone Westr. (= Walckenaera Blackw. + 

 Xeriene id. ad part.) into smaller generic groups, see "On Eur. Spid.", 

 p. 88. Menge's researches (vid. his "Preussische Spinuen") will doubt- 

 less furnish good materials for a future classification of these small 

 spiders, even if the divisions adopted by that distinguished na- 

 turalist should not in all things be accepted. To characterize 

 genera, as has sometimes been done, exclusively by marks belonging 

 only to one sex, the males, and with which nothing identical or 



13 



