156 
AGELENIDiE. 
has a strong, blackish apophysis at its extremity, on the under side, which is directed 
upwards, its curved point being in contact with the small apophysis of the cubital joint; the 
digital joint is oval, moderately convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the 
palpal organs; they are highly developed, not very complicated in stiucture, vascular, 
encircled by a filiform, black spine, and are flesh-coloured. The convex sides of the digital 
joints are directed from each other. 
Though M. Walckenaer has placed this species in the genus Tegenaria, yet he has 
omitted to change its generic name (‘ Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. iv, p. 463); and, not 
perceiving that it is identical with the Hahnia pratensis of M. Koch, has also proposed to 
transfer it, together with the Hahnia pusilla (Agelena Montana, Blackwall) of the latter 
naturalist, to the genus Argus (‘Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt./ tom. iv, pp. 465, 466, 503) ; but 
as the generic characters of both these spiders and those of the Agelena: appear to coincide, 
neither the proposition of M. Walckenaer nor the genus Hahnia of M. Koch is heie 
adopted. 
Agelena elegans occurs in moist pastures near Llanrwst, and the males have the palpal 
organs fully developed in August. It spins a minute, horizontal sheet of web in depressions 
produced by the trampling of cattle, and by other causes, in damp soil, and in August the 
female constructs a plano-convex cocoon of compact, white silk, measuring !,fhs of an inch in 
diameter, which comprises five or six spherical eggs of a yellow colour, not cemented 
together, and is usually attached by its plane surface to the leaves of plants. 
Agelena prompta. 
Agelena prompta, Blackiv., Linn. Trans., vol. xviii, p. 621. 
_ _ Blackvv., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. viii, 
p. 102. 
Length of the female, T ' 5 th of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, /?th, breadth, 3 ,th; 
breadth of the abdomen, #h; length of a posterior leg, *th; length of a leg of the third 
pair, /tli. 
The eyes of each lateral pair, which are seated on a small tubercle and are nearly con- 
tio-uous, are the largest, and the intermediate ones of the anterior row are the smallest of the 
ehdit. The cephalo-thorax is slightly compressed before; the sides are rounded, depressed, 
and marked with furrows converging towards an indentation in the middle, and a row of long 
hairs, directed forwards, extends along the medial line; it is of a brown colour, the anterior 
part/which is rounded and rather depressed, being the darkest. The falces are strong, 
conical, and vertical; the maxillae are short, gibbous at the base, round at the extremity, and 
slightly inclined towards the lip, which is nearly quadrate, being rather broader at the base 
than at the extremity. These organs have a reddish-brown tint. The sternum is heart- 
shaped, and of a yellowish-brown hue. The legs are of a brown colour; the fourth pair is 
the longest, then the first, and the third pair is the shortest; each tarsus is terminated by 
'* ■*!' * II - *' 
