164 
AGELENIDiE. 
four intermediate ones almost describe a square, and those of each lateral pair are seated 
obliquely on a tubercle. The falces are strong, conical, vertical, supplied with yellowish- 
brown hairs, and are armed with two rows of teeth on the inner surface; the maxillae are 
powerful; the lip is longer than broad, and somewhat hollowed at the extremity. These 
parts have a dark, reddish-brown tint, the extremities of the maxillae and lip being much 
the palest. The sternum is broad, heart-shaped, pointed at the posterior extremity, hairy, 
and of a reddish-brown colour, with a dark-brown band on each side, comprising several 
reddish-brown spots. The abdomen is oviform, hairy, convex above, projecting over the 
base of the cephalo-thorax; a dentated, brownish-red band, bordered with black, extends 
along the middle of the upper part, and disposed on the black border, on each side of this 
band, there is a series of yellow spots, diminishing in size as they approach the spinners ; 
the first two spots of each series are the most conspicuous, the anterior one, which is the 
larger, being of an irregular figure ; the sides and under part are of a yellowish-brown colour, 
thickly spotted and streaked with brownish-black, a dull-yellow line extending along each 
side of the latter; the superior spinners are triarticulate, the spinning-tubes being disposed 
on the inferior surface of the terminal joint; and the branchial opercula have a yellowish 
tint. Numerous compound, sessile hairs occur on the body and limbs of this spider. 
The male is smaller and darker coloured than the female, and the relative length of its legs 
is different, the second pair being longer than the fourth ; their absolute length also is greater, 
the anterior one of a large individual sometimes measuring 2| inches. The thighs of the first 
and second pairs of legs have a dark, reddish-brown tint, those of the anterior pair being the 
darkest. The palpi have a dark, reddish-brown hue; the radial joint is much longer than 
the cubital, and has an obtuse apophysis near its extremity, on the outer side, which projects 
from its base a blackish, slightly bifid process, and immediately below this apophysis, at the 
extremity of the joint, there is a larger, paler, and more obtuse one; the digital joint is long, 
hairy, convex above, at the base, but cylindrical and pointed at the end ; the palpal organs 
are connected with a cavity on the under side of the basal convexity, and are moderately 
developed, prominent, complicated in structure, with a bold process at the base, terminated 
by a curved, pointed, black spine, and a large, oblong part, situated at the outer side, a cavity 
in which receives the point of a long, slender, curved, black spine, originating near the base, 
on the inner side; their colour is red-brown. 
Specimens of Tegenaria domestica have been received from Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, 
and Middlesex. It inhabits old buildings, spinning an extensive, horizontal sheet of web in 
angles formed by the transverse junction of their walls, and in various other situations: 
connected with the web, which, in addition to its lateral points of contact, is supported by 
numerous fine lines attached to both surfaces and to adjacent objects above and below it, is 
a short tube, usually situated in the angle formed by the walls, which, being open at its extre¬ 
mities, not only affords a retreat to the spider, but a ready medium of communication also 
with every part of its snare. The sexes pair in May, and in the two following months the 
female constructs several lenticular cocoons of white silk of a fine texture, measuring about 
§ths of an inch in diameter, each of which contains from 130 to 150 spherical eggs of a 
yellowish-white colour, not agglutinated together. All the cocoons are inclosed in separate 
sacs composed of compact, white silk, having particles of plaster, whitewash, and other hete¬ 
rogenous materials, distributed upon their exterior surface. 
