The eyes are seated on black spots. The cephalo-thorax is oval, convex, glossy, with an
indentation in the medial lin e ; its colour is yellowish-brown, the lateral margins being the
darkest, and on the frontal margin, immediately above the base of each falx, there is a triangular
spot of a red-brown hue. The falces are strong, conical, convex in front, and of a pale
red-brown colour; they are armed with small teeth on the inner surface, and are inclined
towards the sternum, which is heart-shaped, and has a brown tint, the margins being rather
the darkest. The maxillae are powerful and encompass the lip, which is semicircular and prominent
at the apex. The former of these organs are like the falces in colour, and that of the
latter organ is dark-brown, with a tinge of red at its extremity. The legs have a yellowish-
brown tint, and the posterior is rather longer than the anterior pair; each tarsus is terminated
by three claws ; the two superior ones are curved and minutely pectinated, and the inferior
one is inflected near its base. The palpi resemble the legs in colour. The abdomen is oviform,
convex above, projecting over the base of the cephalo-thorax; it is sparingly clothed
with hairs, and of a dark-brown hue, the medial line of the upper and under parts being
slightly paler, and the colour of the branchial opercula is yellow.
The male is smaller than the female; its cephalo-thorax is also more gibbous immediately
behind the eyes, and, with the falces, maxillae, sternum, legs, and palpi, is of a red-brown colour,
that of the abdomen being brown-black. The radial joint of the palpi is stronger than the
cubital, and has a small, acute apophysis at its extremity, underneath, and a larger one in front,
which terminates in two points; the digital joint is oval, convex and hairy externally, concave
within, comprising the palpal organs, which are moderately developed, with a short, curved,
obtuse process at the upper part, a small pointed spine of a semicircular form at their extremity,
and are of a red-brown colour.
N erienefusca occurs on rails and under stones in Lancashire and Denbighshire. It pairs
in the month of June.
Neriene agrestis. PI. XIX, fig. 190.
Neriene agrestis, Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. xi,
p. 23.
— — Blackw., Ibid., p. 120.
Length of the female, |th of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^ th;
breadth of the abdomen, ^ th ; length of a posterior leg, jth ; length of a leg of the third
pair, Jth.
The legs are hairy, and the posterior is longer than the anterior pair; each tarsus is terminated
by three claws; the two superior ones are curved and slightly pectinated, and the
inferior one is inflected near its base; the cephalo-thorax is oval, convex, glossy, with an
indentation in the medial line; the falces are conical, convex in front, near to the base, armed
with teeth on the inner surface, and slightly inclined towards the sternum, which is broad,
rather convex, glossy, and heart-shaped; the maxillae are enlarged where the palpi are inserted,
and inclined towards the lip, which is semicircular and prominent at the apex. These
parts, with the palpi, are of a brown colour ; the lip, sternum, and anterior part of the cephalo-
thorax being the darkest, and the legs and palpi, which are much the palest, having a yellowish
or light-reddish tinge. The abdomen is oviform, glossy, sparingly clothed with hairs,
convex above, and projects over the base of the cephalo-thorax ; it is of a dark-brown colour,
tinged with olive, the medial line of the upper part, in some individuals, being the palest, the
sexual organs have a dark, reddish-brown tint, and the colour of the branchial opercula is
yellowish-brown.
The male is much smaller than the female, but it resembles her in colour. The cubital
and radial joints of its palpi are short ; the latter, which is the larger, projects two very
minute apophyses from its extremity ; one, situated in front, is crescent-shaped, the cusps
being acute ; and the other, which is shorter and more obtuse, occurs on the under side ; the
digital joint has a short oval form ; it is convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising
the palpal organs ; these organs are moderately developed, protuberant, complex in structure,
with a small, curved, black spine at their extremity, whose point terminates in a prominent,
semitransparent membrane, and are of a red-brown colour.
This species, which is closely alliéd to Neriene fu sca , is met with among herbage and
under stones in pastures near woods at Oakland ; it has also been taken in Berwickshire by
Mr. J. Hardy. The sexes are adult in autumn.
Neriene vigilax. PI. XIX, fig. 191.
Neriene vigilax, Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. xi,
p. 2 4 .
— — Blackw., Ibid., p. 120.
Length of the male, ^th of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, 3'3t h ;
breadth of the abdomen, ^ th ; length [of a posterior leg, §th; length of a leg of the third
pair, rrth.
The legs are hairy, of a red colour, tinged with brown, and the posterior is longer than
the anterior pair; each tarsus is terminated by three claws; the two superior ones are curved
and pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected near its base. The cephalo-thorax is oval,
convex, glossy, with a slight indentation in the medial line, and has a dark-brown tint, the
lateral margins being the darkest. The falces are conical, armed with fine teeth on the inner
surface, and slightly inclined towards the sternum, which is broad, somewhat convex, glossy,
and heart-shaped. The maxillae are enlarged at the base, where the palpi are inserted, and
inclined towards the lip, which is semicircular. The colour of the falces and maxillae is pale-
brown, tinged with red, and that of the sternum and lip dark-brown. The palpi have a
yellowish-brown h u e ; the cubital and radial joints are short, and the latter projects two
apophyses from its extremity ; the larger one curves outward in front of the digital joint, and
the smaller one, which is acute, is situated underneath; the digital joint is oval, convex and
hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal organs; these organs are highly deve