has a strong, blackish apophysis at its extremity, on the under side, which is directed
upwards, its curved point being in contact with the small apophysis of the cubital joint; the
digital joint is oval, moderately cqnvex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the
palpal organs; they are highly developed, not very complicated in structure, vascular,
encircled by a filiform, black spine, and are flesh-coloured. The convex sides of the digital
joints are directed from each other.
Though M. Walckenaer has placed this species Jin the genus Tegenaria, yet he has
omitted to change its generic name (‘ Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. iv, p. 463); and, not
perceiving that it is identical with the Halnia pratensis of M. Koch, has also proposed to
transfer it, together with the Hahnia pusilla {Agelena montana, Blackwall) o f . the latter
naturalist, to the genus Argus (‘ Hist. Nat. des Insect. Ap t./ tom. iv, pp. 465, 466, 503); but
as the generic characters of both these spiders and those o f the Agelena appear to coincide,
neither the proposition of M. Walckenaer nor the genus Halinia of M. Koch is here
adopted.
Agelena elegans occurs in moist pastures near Llanrwst, and the males have the palpal
organs fully developed in August. It spins a minute, horizontal sheet of web in depressions
produced by the trampling of cattle, and by other causes, in damp so il; and in August the
female constructs a plano-convex cocoon of compact, white silk, measuring 5s5ths of an inch in
diameter, which comprises five or six spherical eggs of a yellow colour, not cemented
together, and is usually attached by its plane surface to the leaves of plants.
Agelena prompta.
Agelena prompta, Blackw., Linn. Trans., vol. xviii, p. 621.
__ Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. viii,
p. 102.
Length of the female, ^th of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, £th;
breadth of the abdomen,' J,th; length of a posterior leg, |th ; length of a leg of the third
pair, j?jth.
The eyes of each lateral pair, which are seated on a small tubercle and are nearly contiguous,
are the largest, and the intermediate ones of the anterior row are the smallest of the
eight. The cephalo-thorax is slightly compressed before ; the sides are rounded, depressed,
and marked with furrows converging towards an indentation in the middle, and a row of long
hairs, directed forwards, extends along the medial line; it is of a brown colour, the anterior
part,'which is rounded and rather depressed, being the darkest. The falces are strong,
conical, and vertical; the maxillm are short, gibbous at the base, round at the extremity, and
slightly inclined towards the lip, which is nearly quadrate, being rather broader at the base
than at the. extremity. These organs have a reddish-brown tint. The sternum is heart-
shaped, and of a yellowish-brown hue. The legs are of a brown colour; the fourth pair is
the longest, then the first, and the third pair is the shortest; each tarsus is terminated by
three claws; the two superior ones are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected
near its base, where a phir Of fine teeth is situated. The palpi resemble the legs in colour.
The abdomen is oviform, thinly covered with hairs, convex above, projecting over the base of
the cephalo-thorax; the upper part has a dark-brown hue,' a series of strongly marked,
yellowish-browri, angular lines, whose vertices are directed forwards, extending along the
middle; the ««flour of the sides and under part is pale, yèllöwish-brown, the latter having a
band of a deeper shade in the medial line; the superior spinners are much longer than the
rest and triarticulafé;* with the spinning-tubes distributed on the ‘inferior surface of the
terminal joint, which is whitish, the remaining portion of these spinners and the whole of tbe
others being of a brown colour; the sexual organs have a dark, red-brown tint; and that of
the branchial opercula is whitish.
The sexes are similar in colour, But the male is rather the smaller. The cubital and
radial joints of its palpi are short; the former has a slender, curved process on the outer side
of the upper part, and thé latter projects one which' is longer, slenderer at its termination,
and more curved, from a prominence or apophysis at the outer side of its extremity; the
digital joint is oval, convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal
oro-ans; they are moderately developed, not very complicated in structure, prominent at thé
upper part, nearly encircled by a fine, black spine, and of a pale, red-brown colour.
Agelena is included by M. Walckenaer among the syuonyma of Tegenaria,
emaeiata (‘ Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt.,’ tom. iv, p. 462), from which species it differs iff size,
organization, and colour. It conceals itself under stones in woods about Llanrwst, and the
male has the palpal organs completely developed in October.
Agelena Montana. PI. X, fig. 100.
Agelena montana, Blackw., Linn. Tran's., vol. xviii, p. 622.
i . v __ ib iïJ r ' Blackw., Annals and Mag. óf Nat. Hist., second series, vól. viii,
p. 102.
Hahnia pusilla, Koch, Die Arachn., Band viii, p. 61, tab. 270, figs. 637, 638.
Argus montanus, Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. iv, p. 505.
Length o f thé female; ^th of an in ch ; len g th o f the cephalo-thorax, ^,th, breadth, ^,th;
breadth o f the abdomen, è t h ; length o f a posterior leg , jth ; length of,, a le g o f the third
pair, ^th.
The eye s o f each lateral pair are seated o n a small tubercle; and are nearly c on tigu ou s;
they are the largest, and the intermediate ones o f th e anterior row are th e smallest o f the
eight. The cephalo-thorax is glossy, sligh tly compressed before, and rounded on the sides,
which are depressed, and marked With furrows converging towards a narrow indentation.in
the m id d le ; th e falces are strong, conical, and inclined towards the sternum, which is broad
and heart-sh aped ; the maxillse are short, gibbous at the base, round at the extremity, and
sligh tly inclined towards the lip, Which is nearly semicircular. These parts are o f a brown