. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. EPEIRIDAE 409 No spider is more familiar than Epeira diademata (Fig. 181, p. 325), the G-arden-spider, j'ar excellence, which attains its greatest size and spreads its largest snares in the autumn. The smaller and much less conspicuous Zilla x-notata is sure to be found abundantly in the same locality. Several other Epeirids are to be found in this country, especially in the south, by sweeping heather or bushes with a net, or shaking the boughs of trees over an umbrella or other receptacle. The little apple-green species is Epeira cucurlitina. E. cornu
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. EPEIRIDAE 409 No spider is more familiar than Epeira diademata (Fig. 181, p. 325), the G-arden-spider, j'ar excellence, which attains its greatest size and spreads its largest snares in the autumn. The smaller and much less conspicuous Zilla x-notata is sure to be found abundantly in the same locality. Several other Epeirids are to be found in this country, especially in the south, by sweeping heather or bushes with a net, or shaking the boughs of trees over an umbrella or other receptacle. The little apple-green species is Epeira cucurlitina. E. cornuta is extremely common in marshy places all over the country. In furze bushes, and often among sedge in swampy places, will frequently be found E. quadrata, one of the largest and handsomest species we possess. The ground-colour may vary from orange-red to green, and there are four conspicuous white' spots on the abdomen. The tent- like retreat which this spider makes near its snare often catches the eye. E. umiratica is a dark fiat, somewhat toad-like Epeirid of retiring habits, which stretches its snare usually on wooden palings, between the timbers of which it squeezes its flat body, and waits for insects to entangle themselves. Two of our finest Epeiras, E. pyrami- data and E. angulata (Eig. 210), are seldom met with, and only in the sovith. Our only Cyclosa (C. conica) is easily recognised by the peculiar form of its abdomen, which is greatly prolonged beyond the spinnerets. It is a small, rather dark species, which constructs a particularly perfect snare. Five British Epeirids belong to the genus Singa. They are small creatures, not exceeding a sixth of an inch in length. They live in heathery and marshy localities. (vi.) The Gasteracanthinae are a remarkable group of Epeirids, characterised by the hard and coriaceous integument covering the abdomen, which is usually furnished with a number of more or less formidable thorn-like spines, calculated to render these spiders b
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1895
