48 
SALTICID^E. 
sparingly clothed with white hairs. These parts are black. The maxillae and lip have a 
dark-brown hue, the former, which are the lighter coloured, being palest at the extremity, on 
the inner side. The abdomen is oviform, hairy, slightly depressed, projecting over the base 
of the cephalo-thorax; the upper part is of a brown colour, with some reddish-brown and 
white hairs interspersed ; three oblique, white bands occur on each side, a w r hite spot is 
situated immediately above the spinners, and a curved, white band at the anterior extremity 
passes obliquely to the under side, which has a grayish-white hue : the colour of the branchial 
opercula is brown; and that of the spinners and sexual organs dark-brown. 
The male is smaller and darker coloured than the female, and the relative length of its 
legs is different; the first and fourth pairs are the longest and equal in length, and the second 
pair is the shortest; their colour is dark-brown, the thighs being almost black. The falces, 
which have a dark-brown hue, are remarkably long, subcylindrical, very prominent, widely 
divergent at the extremity, and are armed with a long, slightly curved fang, a large pointed 
process near the extremity, on the outer side, and two minute teeth on the inner side, the 
smaller of which is nearer the base than the extremity. The palpi have a dark-brown hue , 
the humeral joint is curved downwards, and the radial joint, which is shorter than the cubital, 
projects a large apophysis from its extremity, on the outer side; the digital joint is oval, 
convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal organs, which are 
moderately developed, prominent at the upper part, not complex in structure, and of a dark- 
brown colour. 
When searching on walls or the trunks of trees for those insects which constitute its food, 
this common spider employs much art, moving with great circumspection, and occasionally 
elevating the cephalo-thorax, by straightening the anterior legs, for the purpose of extending 
its sphere of vision. It runs without difficulty on the perpendicular suifaces of dry, polished 
bodies, having, like the other species of the genus, scopulse situated below the tarsal claws, 
which, by the emission of an adhesive secretion, give it a secure hold upon objects. It takes 
its victims by surprise, leaping suddenly upon them, and by that act draws from the spinneis 
a line attached by its extremity to the station whence it took its spring, a necessary precaution 
to prevent the possibility of falling, whether successful in seizing its prey or not. 
In June the female constructs one or two cocoons of white silk, of a slight texture and 
lenticular form; the larger ones measure about one fifth of an inch in diameter, and usually 
contain fifteen or sixteen spherical eggs of a pale-yellow colour, which, in common with those 
of the Saltici generally, are not agglutinated together. These cocoons are comprised in a cell 
of compact, white silk, fabricated in crevices of rocks, walls, and the bark of old trees, in which 
the female also frequently occupies a place. 
By subdividing the extensive genus Salticus, M. Koch has obtained several minor groups 
which he has dignified with generic appellations; but as even the species regarded as types of 
his new genera are, for the most part, connected by close ties of affinity, it is not probable 
that his views will be adopted by arachnologists generally. The genera Calliethera, llelio- 
phanus, Euophrys, and Marpissa , including species indigenous to Great Britain, present 
differences in structure of importance as affording specific characters, but much too slight and 
circumscribed to be rendered available in promoting the systematic changes proposed to be 
made by M. Koch. 
Inhabits Scotland and Ireland. 
