THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[August 



ARACHNIDA. 



Collecting during August. — Collectors may have noticed that 

 spiders are scarcer during July and August than in the preceding 

 months. The fact is that the maturity of spring-time has passed away, 

 while the offspring have not yet become adult, or are even still in the egg 

 stage. Towards the middle of September, however, adults become more 

 frequent. There are nevertheless several distinctly summer species to 

 be taken ; for instance, four or five species of Theridion, p aliens, 

 sisypMum, v avians, denticulatum, etc. The pale green Epeiva cucufbitina 

 can also be beaten from foliage or found sitting on railings ; the male 

 having beautiful orange-coloured legs. The other species of Epeiva are 

 solevs, agalena, adianta, just becoming adult, and acalypha, all found on 

 heathy commons ; while diademata and quadvata will scarcely be fully 

 adult till October. A very fine species has lately turned up in the New 

 Forest, obtained by beating fir trees. It is adult now, and seems to be 

 Epeiva angulaia, Clk. One of the most handsome species of Theridion — 

 fovmosum — occurs abundantly in the New Forest, just now, spinning its 

 tangled web on the stems of oak trees amongst the outgrowing twigs. 

 It forms a beautiful little tent-like nest of dead oak leaves, which is 

 slung in the middle of the tangle, and from this the spider drops like a 

 stone to the ground, where it is exceedingly hard to be detected from its 

 exact similarity to a fallen faded bud. The curious three-cornered Epeiva 

 conica is also frequent in similar localities, sitting on the long white 

 silken streak in the centre of its beautifully symmetrical orb-web. 

 The great grey and black speckled Philodvomus mavgavitatns can also 

 be now beaten from oak trees, where it lurks amongst the lichen and 

 cannot be distinguished easily therefrom. Of the Salticidce, or jumpers, 

 Mavptusa (Marpessa) muscosa can now be found on grey lichen-covered 

 posts and palings in some localities, while in the same situations 

 Epiblemum cingulaium, and on walls the much commoner E. scenicum, are 

 to be taken. The Lycosidce. are mostly gone by for the present, and 

 besides several species of Erigone and Gongylidium, on railings, in dull 

 warm mornings, and a few Linyphias, there is not any great abundance 

 of anything just now in this particular group. Argyroneta aquatica is 

 fully adult, and ought to be found in suitable ditches almost anywhere 

 throughout the country. — F. O. P.-C, July 27th, 1894. 



VERTEBRATA. 



Coloration of Anguis Fragilis. — I have examined carefully both 

 young and old specimens of Anguis fragilis during the last few days, 

 and I find that the colouring is as follows : — -Dorsal area, rich cream- 

 brown of various shades ; lateral area, darker mottled brown with a fine, 



