6b 



Notes on Spiders and Reptiles. 



Corrections. — The list of Water Mites published in 'The 

 Naturalist,' last August, requires a little correction. Arrenurus 

 compactus Piersig" should be Arrenurus ornatus (George), see 

 ' Science Gossip,' December 1900 ; forficatus should have been 

 forpicatus ; also Piona fiavescens Neuman is synonymous with 

 Pionopsis lutescens (Hermann), and the latter name only should 

 be retained. 



Two Spiders New to Cumberland. — Among a number of spiders 

 taken near Carlisle, and kindly named for me by Mr. Frank P. Smith, of 

 Islington, London, were two which are not included in the list published 

 by the Rev. F. O. Pickard-Cambridge in 'The Naturalist' for 1895. Both 

 species are, however, recorded from Northumberland. The first, Lycosa 

 cinerea Fabr., was found among gravel on the Caldew, just below the level 

 crossing- near Dalston. The other species was L. picta, from Gelt. — Jas. 

 Murray, ii, Close Street, Carlisle, 23rd February igor. 



Tigellinus furcillatus in the Wessenden Valley, York S.W.— In 



the Wessenden Valley, west of Huddersfield, on 10th June 1900, I had the 

 good fortune to take, from the grass surrounding an imbedded stone, a 

 specimen of this extremely rare British spider ( Tigellinus furcillatus Menge). 

 It was a full-grown male and showed to perfection the strangely-shaped 

 caput and curiously-placed eyes, for which that sex of this species is so 

 remarkable. I could not identify it at the time, but have now done so by 

 means of the 'Introduction to British Spiders.' in course of publication in 

 'Science Gossip.' To the author, Mr. F. P. Smith, I am indebted for the 

 following information respecting its distributional range: — On the continent 

 it has been found in France, Prussia, and Belgium, and near Nuremburg and 

 Cracow; in the British Isles, Simon, the noted French arachnologist, records 

 it from near London, no precise locality being given. — Wm. Falconer, 

 42, Varley Road, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, 16th March 1901. 



Snakes in the North of England.— Dr. Gerald Leighton, of Gros- 

 mont, Pontrilas, near Hereford, is at present engaged in preparing a book 

 on British Snakes, and is anxious to make a comparison of the average 

 length and relative frequency of the Adder and Ring Snake in the different 

 counties and localities, and has written to me (and probably to others) for 

 such information as regards this county, to which I have replied. It has 

 occurred to me that, as this is a subject which has not many admirers, and 

 consequently not so well studied as it ought to be, there may be some 

 readers of this periodical who could add something reg-arding these two 

 species of snakes from their own locality, and who may not have received 

 a query from Dr. Leighton. For this reason it seems fit to call attention to 

 the work, and ask them, if they can add anything, to forward it for insertion 

 in this magazine — and I, for one, would like to see a return of the relative 

 frequency and average lengths of such reptiles in the northern counties of 

 England. I herewith append Dr. Leighton's queries and my answers for 

 Durham as far as my own observations go : — 1. Which Snake is the most 

 common in the county of Durham? The Common or Ringed Snake {Coluber 

 natrix). 2. What is the average length of the Adder here? From 20 to 

 24 inches. '3. W T hat is the average length of the Ringed Snake here? 

 From 24 to 30 inches. 4. Does the Smooth Snake occur to your know- 

 ledge? No. — J. W, FAWCETTj^Satley, Darlington, 2nd January 1901. 



NOTES on SPIDERS. 



NOTE on REPTILES. 



Naturalist, 



4 MAY. 1901 



