thorax; it is sparingly clothed with hairs, glossy, and of a deep-black hue, that o f the
branchial opercula being pale-yellow.
The sexes are similar in colour, but the male is smaller than the female, and the anterior
prominence of its cephalo-thorax is much more elongated and slender, measuring about ^th
of an inch in len gth; it is elevated vertically, and dilated near the middle and at the apex,
the latter dilatation being separated by a transverse groove into a superior and inferior
segment, both of which are rough, with short, strong hairs j on these enlargements the eyes
are seated. The cubital joint of the palpi is clavate; the radial joint is short, and terminates
in three apophyses ; one, situated on the inner side, which is longer than either thé exterior
or inferior one, and is curved outwards, has a process near its base, on the outer sid e; the
digital joint is somewhat oval, convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the
palpal organs, which are highly developed, complicated in structure, with a strong spine on
the outer side, curved in a circular form, and are o f a blackish hue, tinged with red.
Both sexes o f this curiously constructed spider were taken by Mr. Thomas Blackwall,
in October, 1 8 3 2 , under stones and on rails in the township of Crumpsall. It has since been
met with in Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, and Denbighshire, and in the spring of 1 8 4 9
specimens of the female were received from Mr. J. Hardy, who took them in Berwickshire.
In autumn the female deposits between twenty and thirty spherical eggs, o f a yellow
colour, not agglutinated together, in a plano-convex cocoon, composed of fine, white silk, of
a loosish texture, measuring ^ths of an inch in diameter; it is attached by the plane surface
to the under sides of stones and fragments o f rock, and its form is frequently modified by
irregularities on the surface of the body to which it adheres.
M. Walckenaer entertains the opinion that his Argus cornutus (‘ Hist. Nat. des Insect.
Apt.,’ t. ii, p. 367) and the Theridion comutum of M. Wider (‘ Museum Senckenbergianum/ B. i,
p. 235, taf. xvi, fig. 2) are the same as the Micryphantes camelinus of M. Koch, which is
identical with Walkenaëra acuminata; but they differ from it, apparently, both in structure
and colour; and it has already been shown (page 226) that the Linyphia alticeps of Professor
Sundevall, included by M. Walckenaer among the synonyma o f this [species, is perfectly
distinct from it.
Walckenaëra cuspidata. PI. XX, fig. 204.
Walckenaëra cuspidata, Blackw., Lond. and Edinb. Phil. Mag., third series, vol. iii,
p. 108.
Blackw., Research, in Zool., p. 320, pi. 2, fig. 11.
— — Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. ix,
p. 273.
Length of the female, ^th of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^th;
breadth o f the abdomen, ^nd ; length of an anterior leg, Jth j length of a leg of the third
pair, gth.
In colour this species bears a close resemblance to Walckenaëra acuminata. Its cephalo-
thorax is oval, convex, and glossy, without any indentation in the medial line or marked prominence
in front ; the sternum is broad and heart-shaped. These parts, with the falces,
maxillæ, and lip, have a dark, brownish-black hue. The legs are hairy, and have a bright-rufous
tint ; 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 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, glossy, and of a deep-black hue, that of the branchial opercula
being pale-yellow.
The male is rather smaller than the female, and has a minute, conical, acute prominence,
surmounted by a few fine hairs, situated within the trapezoid formed by the four intermediate
eyes, immediately in front of the posterior pair. The radial joint of the palpi has two apophyses
at its extremity ; the smaller projects on the under side, and the longer, which has a
process near its base, on the outer side, curves outwards, in front of the digital joint, which is
somewhat oval, convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal organs ;
these organs are highly developed and complicated in structure, with a strong spine on the
outer side, curved in a circular form.
This rare spider is found under stones and on rails in the south of Lancashire, in Yorkshire,
and in Denbighshire, and two females, one adult and the other immature, were taken
by Mr. J. Hardy in Berwickshire, in the spring of 1849.
The Theridion monoceros of M. Wider is nearly allied to this species, but it presents several
points of difference, both in structure and colour (‘Museum Senckenbergianum/ B. 1, p. 236,
taf. 16, fig. 3).
Walckenaëra monoceros. PI. XX, fig. 205.
Theridion monoceros, Wider, Museum Senckenb., Band i, p. 236, taf. 16, fig. 3.
Argus — Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., t. ii, p. 361.
Length of the male, ^th of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^th ;
breadth of the abdomen, ^th ; length of a posterior leg, 5th ; length of a leg of the third
pair, gth.
The eyes are disposed in pairs on the anterior prominence of the cephalo-thorax, and are
seated on black spots ; those of each pair are near to each other, the lateral ones being placed
on a minute tubercle in a line with the cephalo-thorax ; the eyes of the posterior pair are rather
the smallest of the eight, and with those of the anterior pair, which are the darkest coloured,
form a narrow, oblong, quadrangular figure. The cephalo-thorax is long, oval, glossy, convex,
particularly in the cephalic region, which is rather prominent and rounded ; a small, conical,
pointed process, slightly curved downwards, and provided with numerous short hairs, enlarged
at the extremity, is situated in the space surrounded by the eyes, a little in advance of the
posterior pair j the falces are small, conical, and vertical ; the maxillæ are short, and strongly