6502 



Arachnida. 



Oonops pulcher. Bloxworth. 



In the above list I have only given particulars of time, &c., in 

 respect to those that are considered as yet rare and local, and those 

 which I have discovered myself. Of many of the commonest kinds I 

 have perhaps only myself met with one or two specimens, and in those 

 cases 1 have omitled any notice of their being common or rare. 



It will be seen that out of 134 species which I have met with (all, 

 except two or three in Dorset, Somerset, and Hants) there are seven- 

 teen species, and two genera new ; of these one genus and nine 

 species are new to Science, and one genus and eight species new to 

 Britain. The greater part of these are far from being among our 

 minute spiders — some of them are of considerable size and great 

 beauty. These results of taking notice of this interesting order, while 

 collecting other orders, will I trust induce some others among our 

 now legion of entomologists to do the same ; and I have not the 

 least doubt that the species of Arachnida in Britain, especially in the 

 southern counties of England, are not nearly yet exhausted, but that 

 a rich harvest would repay any ordinary search. 



I will only now add a few words on the mode of taking spiders, 

 which I have found most successful, and by which most of my 

 novelties have been brought to light. First, among timber trees and 

 brushwood, by beating into a large entomological folding net ; next, 

 among long grass, rushes, fern and heath, by sweeping with a very 

 stiff strong sweeping net, taking especial care to scrape as close to the 

 ground as possible ; this is hard work, and will soon blister the hands 

 if done properly — but the effect, particularly among heath, has been 

 wonderful. Of course, in this way no knowledge of the ways and 

 habits of spiders can be got — this knowledge must depend entirely on 

 a good eye, great patience, and a habit of observation. Still it is 

 something to ascertain the mere existence of species in any locality ; 

 and as yet my chief exertions have been directed to this end : with 

 regard to most of my novelties, everything almost has yet to be dis- 

 covered, even to the time of their coming to maturity, as most of them 

 were immature when taken. After the lapse of a year or two I took 

 forward to having more leisure to follow up a course of observation on 

 their manners and customs ; and meanwhile I hope some of our 

 " butterfly catchers" will take up the study and collecting of this 

 order which as yet has so very few votaries. 



O. Pickard-Cambiudge. 



Southport, Lancashire, 

 February 10, 1859. 



