sparingly clotted with silky, yëllow hairs, and thinly, covered on thé
sides and upper side with whitish yellow, cretaceous spots or small
patches, many of them being nearly conterminous, and leaving a
clear short sword-shaped or slightly cruciform marking on the fore
part of the upper side.”
Fam. Agélemdoe.
Amaurobius, C. Koch.
*A . c r u c i f e r , Cambr.—A native Spider, of small size, which,
either from its scarcity or its peculiar habits, almost eluded my
search, inasmuch as I succeeded in capturing only two. I t is
figured “ Proceed. Zool. Soc.,” March, 1873, pi. xxiv. f. 6, and it is
also described as having an abdomen “ oval, rounded, and rather
bluff behind; the ground-colour is a pale luteous yellow, and it is
more or less irregularly marked all over with black ' streaks and
markings ; among those on the upper side, near the middle, is a
fairly-defined cruciform marking, followed towards the spinners, in a
longitudinal series, by several rather short, blunt-angular, transverse,
black stripes. In front of the ordinary spinners is a broad, transverse,
supernumerary one.”
Tegenaria, Latr.
T . c iv i l i s , Bh—One of the most abundant Spiders in the Island,
found also in Great Britain as well as in many other parts of the
world. I t is the common, mottled-brown, garden-wall spider of
the high land, and is found plentifully in corners of old outbuildings,
earth hanks, beneath stones, &c., where it conceals itself
behind a small insignificant web or nest, constructed in the joints
of rubble stone walls, stems of old decaying trees, &c., ready to
dart upon its prey when it comes near, in the form of moths, flies,
and other insects of that class.
* T . p r o x im a , Cambr. (T. atrica, “ Proceed. Zool. Soc.,” 1869,
p. 533).—A native Spider, nearly resembling the last, but much less
common. I t is the light pinkish-brown spider found inhabiting the
edges of window sashes, and the eaves of outbuildings on the high
land. I t spins little web, and generally appears to be lying in wait
for its prey.
Fam. Scytodida. ■
Scytodes, Latr.
S . th o r a c ic a , Walck.—A rare Spider, of which I only obtained
one in the Island. I t has occurred (three times only) in Great
Britain.
Fam. Pholcida.
Pholcus, Waick.
P . d i s t i n c tu s , Cambr.—One of the “ Daddy-long-leg” Spiders.—
“ Linn. Soc. Journ.,” vol. x. p. 380, pi. xi. figs. 28, 30. I t is found
also in Ceylon and India, whence probably it has been introduced
to St. Helena.
P . p h a la n g io id e s , Walck.— The common “ Daddy-long-leg”
Spider is smaller than the other species. I t is very abundant both
on the high and low lands in houses, where it soon establishes
itself in the corners of cellars, cupboards, and even drawing-room
ceilings, often telling a tale as to the activity of the housemaid’s
broom. I t spins little web, and feeds chiefly upon flies, moths,
and the Money Spiders (Sallicus). I t has the habit of spinning
round and round so fast for about half a minute, when it is
touched-or disturbed, as to become scarcely visible. I t is indigenous
to Great Britain.
Artema, Walck.
A . c o n v e x a , Bl.— A large brown “ Daddy-long-leg” Spider,
found abundantly on the low land, in cellars and outbuildings in
Jamestown, clinging to the ceiling beams, where it spins but little
web. I t is also found in Ceylon and India.
Fam, Theridiidte.
Ariamnes, Thor.—Ariadne, Dol.
*A . m e l l i s s i i , Cambr.— This very beautiful, little golden Spider
almost tells its own tale as a genuine native, for it exists only on the
very mountain tops at Diana’s Peak, nearly 3000 feet above the
sea, as far removed from the habitats of imported creatures as it is
possible to be. I t is very rare indeed, but in that damp region,
under the shade of indigenous cabhage-trees and ferns, it may still
be found suspended from their branches with apparently a slight
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