LINYPHIA. 
229 
brown hue, with a faint tinge of green, particularly on the thighs, and an obscure, blackish 
annulus at the extremity of each principal joint; the first pair is the longest, then the 
second, and the third pair is the shortest; the tarsi are terminated by three claws; the two 
superior ones are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected near its base. The 
palpi are of a pale yellowish-brown colour, and have a slightly curved claw at their extremity. 
The cephalo-tliorax is oval, convex, glossy, with furrows on the sides converging towards a 
large indentation in the medial line; it is of a pale yellowish-brown colour, with a longitudinal, 
black band immediately above each lateral margin. The falces have a reddish-brown hue; 
they are long, powerful, conical, armed with teeth on the inner surface, and inclined towards 
the sternum, which is heart-shaped, and of a brownish-black tint. The maxillm are powerful, 
straight, somewhat quadrate, and of a pale reddish-brown colour, with a blackish spot on 
the inner angle, at the extremity. The lip is semicircular, prominent at its apex, and 
resembles the sternum in colour. The eyes are seated on black spots, those of each lateral 
pair being placed on a small tubercle and nearly contiguous; the anterior eyes of the 
trapezoid are not smaller than the rest. The abdomen is remarkably gibbous above, pro¬ 
jecting over the base of the cephalo-thorax; it is thinly clothed with hairs, glossy, and of a 
pale reddish-brown colour; the anterior half of the upper part is thickly spotted with white, 
and a series of black spots occurs on each side of the medial line of the posterior half, those 
near the spinners uniting and forming short, transverse bars; the sides are marked with 
irregular black streaks ; the hue of the branchial opercula is yellow, and the space between 
them has a brownish-black tint; a depressed process, directed backwards, is connected with 
the anterior margin of the sexual organs, and their colour is reddish-brown. 
The male resembles the female in colour, but its legs are longer than hers, an anterior 
one measuring seven-tenths of an inch. The anterior part of its cephalo-thorax, where the 
eyes are seated, is greatly elevated, rounded at the summit, and provided with numerous 
curved, black hairs. The falces are long and divergent at the extremity. The humeral 
joint of the palpi is robust; the cubital and radial joints are short, the latter being the 
stronger; both have a few long bristles at their extremity, in front, which are directed 
forwards; the digital joint is broader at the extremity than at the base, which is rather pro¬ 
tuberant; it is of a light reddish-brown colour, is slightly convex and hairy externally, 
concave within, and comprises the palpal organs; they are highly developed, very complicated 
in structure, with a prominent spine underneath, which is enveloped in membrane, abruptly 
curved near its base, and directed downwards; a large, convex, glossy process occurs at their 
extremity, on the outer side, and near it, towards the inner side, there is a short, strong, 
curved, pointed spine; the colour of these organs is very dark and light reddish-brown 
intermixed. The convex sides of the digital joints are directed towards each other. 
Not perceiving that the Theridium pallidum of M. Koch is identical with the Linyphia 
fienata of M. Wider, M. Walckenaer has included it among the synonyma of Theridion 
sisyphum (‘ Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt.,’ tom. ii, p. 299). 
In autumn this rare species spins among grass growing in the grounds about Oakland 
an extensive horizontal sheet of web supported by fine lines united to its superior surface and 
to each other at various angles, and attached by their upper extremities to objects situated 
above it. Like its congeners, it takes its station on the under side of the w'eb in an inverted 
position, and there watches for its prey. An adult male Linyphia frenata was received in 
1851 from Mr. R. H. Meade, who captured it in Yorkshire. 
