HYCTIA PROMPTA, Bl. Salticus promptus Bl., "Brit. and Ir. Spiders" p. 59, pl. iii., fig. 32. Hyetia Nivoyi Cambr: "Spiders of Dorset," p. 560. This spider will now resume its position as a distinct species. After an examination of the type specimen some years ago Mons: Simon concluded that it was only an immature example of Hyctia Nivoyi (Luc.), a spider I had then never seen; but the capture, by myself and my nephew, Fredk. O. P. Cambridge, of numerous examples of it in all stages of growth at Bloxworth in May, 1888, prove it to be quite distinct from Mr. Blackwall's Salticus promptus, and, as I suspect, even of a different genus. It seems to me that Salticus promptus is a Marpessa and very possibly the young of M. pomatia Walck (S. Blackwallii Clark). However, as this is uncertain, and Mons. Simon has a far wider acquaintance with this group than myself, I have still for the present followed his determination so far, at least, as the generic position of this spider is concerned. The two species H. Nivoyi and H. promptus differ entirely both in the cephalothorax and in the abdominal pattern, as well as in the proportionate length and breadth of the cephalothorax, which is shorter and less oblong than H. Nivoyi. The thorax in H. promptus is marked with distinct radiating lines, and the abdomen has a central, elongated, tapering band on its anterior half indicated by two rows of small black spots, and the sides are marked with distinct oblique rows of black spots reaching quite over to the middle of the upper side, where, however, they may be taken to represent the normal angular lines or chevrons. The spider itself is also of a much less elongate flattened form, than H. Nivoyi. GEN: HASARIUS (Sim.) HASARIUS ARCUATUS (Clk.) Hasarius arcuatus Cambr., "Spiders Dors." p. 565. I have found this spider in Hampshire, and have received it from Wokingham, but never met with in Dorsetshire until last June, when I and my nephew found it among dead herbage in a swamp at Morden Park, near Bloxworth. GEN: DENDRYPHANTES (C. L. Koch.) DENDRYPHANTES HASTATUS (C. L. Koch.) Dendryphantes hastatus C. L. Koch, Cambr., "Proc :" Dors. N. H. and A. Field Club, vol. vi., p. 11. An adult female was beaten off the lower boughs of a fir tree in Morden Park in June, 1888, by F. O. P. Cambridge. The only other British example recorded is that, noticed in "Proc." Dorset Field Club (1. c., p. 1 and 11), of an adult male found near Norwich by Mr. James Edwards. This is its first record as a Dorset spider. NOTES ON RARE OR LOCAL SPIDERS FOUND, FAM: DYSDERIDE. GEN: DYSDERA (Latr.) Dysdera crocota C. Koch., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 6. Dr. Blackmore found this fine spider rather abundantly among rubbly chalk in old chalk pits near Salisbury, in September, 1888, when both sexes were adult. FAM: DRASSIDE. GEN: PROSTHESIMA (C. Koch.) Prosthesima pedestris C. L. Koch., Cambr., “Spid. Dors.," p. 15, and "Proc." Dorset N. H. and Antiq. F. Club, vol. vi., p. 2. I have received this distinct and local species from Colonel Le Grice (Folkestone), in June, 1888, and also more recently from Mr. T. R. Billings from the neighbourhood of Peckham. Prosthesima Latreillii C. L. Koch., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 421. I have met with this rare spider again at Bloxworth, and Dr. Blackmore has sent it to me also from Salisbury in 1887. Prosthesima longipes L. Koch., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 422. An adult male on Bloxworth Heath in the summer of 1888. This is the first I have seen since the year 1878. GEN: DRASSUS (Walck.) D. sylvestris (Bl., Cambr.), "Spid. Dors.," p. 460. Drassus infuscatus Westr. and Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 423, and "Proc: Dors. N. H. and A. F. Club" vi., p. 2. Adults of both sexes not rare among dead leaves in Berewood in May and June, 1888. Drassus troglodytes C. L. Koch., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 17. Dr. Blackmore sent me an example of this spider, found near Salisbury in 1888. It still continues to be a rare spider, though it is very widely distributed, I have received single examples of it from several other parts of England since the publication of "Spiders of Dorset " in 1879. GEN: LIOCRANUM (L. Koch.) Liocranum domesticum Wider., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 38. Passing along St. Catherine Street, Salisbury, one day in April, 1886, I met with a fine adult male of this rare and local spider crossing the pavement opposite the "White Hart" Hotel, and in the same month in 1887 I found several immature examples of it in a garden in the "Close." Dr. Blackmore has also sent it to me from his own premises. FAM: DICTYNIDÆ. GEN: LETHIA (Menge). Lethia albispiraculis Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 53. I have found this spider again, in 1887 and 1888, near the Chesil Beach, Portland, but very rarely, owing (for one reason) to the extreme difficulty in seeing and capturing them among the loose stones, pebbles, friable earth, and triturated seaweed, among which they live. The male resembles the female in colours and markings, being, however, often of a darker hue. FAM: AGELENIDÆ. GEN: TEGENARIA (Latr.) Tegenaria cinerea Panz., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 65. in 1888, and another was found about the same time at Warmwell, Dorset, by F. O. P. Cambridge. It is probably not so rare as it might seem to be from its infrequent occurrence, its habitat being in dark concealed corners, and old sewers, &c. FAM: HAHNIIDE GEN: HAHNIA. Hahnia elegans Bl., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 69. The Genus Hahnia has usually been included in the Family Agelenila, but the very characteristic position of the spinners (between which and the normal position in the Agelenide there is as yet no known connecting link) induces me to separate it in a distinct Family. Hahnia elegans occurred in abundance among moss and water weeds at the edge of a pond on Bloxworth Heath at the end of May and in June, 1888, but all were females. FAM: THERIDIIDÆ. GEN: PHOLCOMMA (Thor.) Pholcomma gibbum Westr., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 82, pl. iii., fig. 5. This curious little spider was found frequently in bogs and marshy spots at Hyde and Bloxworth in May, 1888. GEN: THERIDION (Walck.) Pl. A, fig. 3. Theridion Blackwallii Cambr. (sub Euryopis), "Spid. Dors.," p. 481. In 1888 I received an adult female of this spider, taken near Cambridge by Mr. Cecil Warburton, of Ch. Coll., Cambridge. GEN: CRUSTULINA (Menge). CRUSTULINA STICTA (Cambr.) Steatoda sticta Cambr. "Spid. Dors.," p. 97. I had not seen this pretty, and hitherto very rare, spider for many years until the spring and early summer of 1888, when it was found (both sexes in the adult state) in some abundance by F. O. P. Cambridge and myself in bogs and swamps at Bloxworth and Hyde by shaking out dead grass, moss, and débris on a cloth. GEN: LASEOLA (Sim.) LASEOLA CORACINA (C. L. Koch.) Theridion coracinum C. L. Koch., Cambr., "Spid. Dors.," p. 98 (sub. Steatoda). At the end of May, 1888, I met with an adult female of this rare spider among grass in a swamp at Morden Park, near Bloxworth. GEN: THERIDIOSOMA (Cambr.) Theridiosoma argenteolum Cambr., "Spid: Dors :" p. 428 and 572. A very nearly adult male of this spider was found in a swamp, Morden Park, on September 19th, 1888, a very unusual time for it to be in this stage of growth, unless its final moult is delayed, and the spider continues during winter in an undeveloped state until the following May, when its usual time of becoming adult arrives. GEN: PEDANOSTETHUS (Sim.) Pedanostethus neglectus Cambr. (sub. Neriene), "Spid. Dors.," p. 121. An adult male was found by F. O. P. Cambridge among moss at Bloxworth at the end of August, 1888. This species and its near ally, P. (Neriene) avida (Bl.), have terminal tarsal claws in the female, shewing their affinity to Enoplognatha (Drepanodus, Menge) and their difference from the numerous other spiders with which they have hitherto been linked in the Family Theridiida. M. Simon has therefore constituted for them the Genus Pedanostethus ("Arachn. de France," v. 195), the name Ctenium (Menge), formed for P. livida in (1869), having been already used for a genus of Lepidoptera by Panzer. |