Ergatis pallens. PL X, fig. 94.
Ergatis pollens, Blackw., Atinals and Mag. of N at. Hist., third series, 94.
Length of the female, ±th of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^thj
breadth of the abdomen, ^th; length of an anterior leg, gthj; length o f . a leg of the
third pair, ith.
The legs and palpi are moderately long, provided with hairs, and o f a pald^ dull-yellow
hue. The legs of the first pair are the longest, then those o f the secon d pair; and the
posterior legs, which have a calamistrum on the superior surface of their metatarsi, are
longer than those of the third pa ir; each tarsus is terminated by three claws;. the two
superior ones are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected near its 'h ^ e .; The
cephalo-thorax is compressed before, depressed and rounded on the sides, which are marked
with furrows converging towards the middle, and the cephalic region is convex and rounded
in front; it is o f a dark-brown colour, with a broad, yellowish-brown band, which tapers to
its posterior extremity, and is densely covered with yellowish-gray hairs, extending from the
eyes along the middle, nearly two thirds of its length, and a dentated, yellowish-white band
on each lateral margin. The eyes are nearly equal in size, and the four intermediate, ones
form a square. The falces are powerful, conical, and vertical; the maxillee are convex at
the base, somewhat dilated near the middle, rounded at th e . extremity, which is more
abruptly curved on the inner than on the outer side, and inclined towards the lip, which is
large, triangular, and rounded at the apex; and the sternum is heart-shaped. .These parts
are of a reddish-brown colour, the sternum and lip being the darkest, and 'the falces much
the palest. The abdomen ,is oviform, convex above, and projects over the base of the
cephalo-thorax; it is clothed with short hairs, and is of a grayish-yellow colour^ in!the
medial line o f the upper part there is a dark, red-brown spot, nearly of a circular form,
situated full one third of its length from its anterior extremity; and at the posterior
extremity a few short, curved, transverse bars o f the same hue occur, which diminish in
length as they approach the spinners; a few obscure, dark-brown streaks arid spots are
disposed along the sides, and a broad, longitudinal band, of the same colour, occupies the
middle of the under part ; the spinners are eight in number, and the two inferior cmes are
united throughout their entire length.
This Ergatis was taken among heath at Lyndhurst, in the New Forest, by the Rev. O. P.
Cambridge, in September! 1858.
Ergatis latens. PL. IX, fig. 95.
Ergatis latens, Blackw., Linn. Trans., vol. xviii, p. 608.
— “—- Blackw., Linn'. Trans., vol. xix, p. 117.
—; j p ÿ ÿ Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. viii,
p. 100.
Dictyna latens, Koch, Die Arachn., Band iii, p. 29, tab. 83, fig. 186.
Theridion latens, Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. ii, p. 340.
Titulus 16, Lister, Hist. Animal. Angî., De Aran., p. 56, tab. i, fig. 16.
Length of the female, ±th o f an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^th;
bréadth o f the abdomen, ^th; length of an anterior leg, |th ; length o f a leg of the third
pair, ^th.
The cephalo-thorax is compressed before, very convex in the cephalic region, but
depressed and rounded in front ; the sides and posterior part are depressed, the former being
marked with furrows which converge towards the middle ; its colour is very dark-brown, the
cephalic convexity being thinly covered with white hairs. The falces are powerful, conical,
vertical, and armed with a few teeth on the inner surface ; the maxillae are strong, and’inclined
towards the lip, which is rounded at the apex; the sternum is heart-shaped! These parts
are of a very dark-brownt colour, the sternum bèing covered with coarse, white hairs’. The
legs and palpi are rather short, and their colour is dark-brown ; the two superior tarsal claws
are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one, is inflected near its base. The abdomen is
oviform, convex above, projecting over the' base of the cephalo-thorax ; if'is covered with
short hairs, and of a gray colour, with a broad, dentated, black band extending along the
middle of the upper part, which tapers to the extremities, and has some narrow, transverse,
grayish lines on its posterior half ; a plain, broad band of a similar colour, but rather paler,
occupies the middle o f the under part, and the sides have a blackish hue ; the colour of the
branchial opercula is brown.
In colour, and in the relative length of its legs, the male resembles the female, but it
is smaller, and its falces, which are longer, have a large prominence on the under side, and a
minute one in front, near their articulation ; they are hollowed about the middle o f the
inner surface, leaving a strong prominence near the extremity, on the lower part of which a
few small teeth are situated, and they are curved a little forwards at the end. The palpi
and palpal organs are precisely similar in structure to those o f the male of E rg a tis benigna.]
This species .is found in the same localities as Ergatis benigna, which it resembles in
habits and economy. The sexes pair in June, and7 in the following month the female
constructs several contiguous, lenticular cocoons of greenish-white silk, of a compact texture,
measuring about ohé eighth Of an inch in diameter, on an average ; these she attaches to a stem
of gorse or heath, surrounded by her web, distributing about them the refuse o f her prèy ;
each contains from ten to sixteen spherical eggs, of a yellow' colour, which are not adherent
among themselves. 1 :