A HISTORY OF KENT ARACHNIDA Spiders The spider fauna of this county should be at least as prolific in species as that of any in England, and would doubtless prove to be so if it were well worked. Had it not been for the efforts of the Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing of Tunbridge Wells there would have been scarcely any list to publish ; for the rest, a few species are recorded by the author and Mr. F. P. Smith. A collection of the late Mr. F. Walker, pre- served in the British Museum {Nat. Hist.) as microscopic slides, were collected at Southgate, Middlesex, and do not unfortunately include the types either of Schanobates walkeri or Araneus signatus, species which are probably the immature and variety of well-known spiders respec- tively. Of a total of 534 species of spiders recorded for Great Britain and Ireland, Kent can so far claim but 1 1 8 ; while of Arachnida, in- cluding pseudo-scorpions and harvestmen, there are only 122 species in all. In the following list where no authority or collector is quoted the author takes the responsibility. ARANE^ ARACHNOMORPHM DYSDERIDiE Spiders with six eyes and two pairs of stigmatic openings, situated close together on the genital rima ; the anterior pair communicating with lung books, the posterior with tracheal tubes. Tarsal claws, two in Dysdera, three in Harpactes and Segestria. 1. Dysdera cambridgii, Thorell. Rare under bark of trees, and recognizable Lydd. by its linear ant-like form, black carapace, Not uncommon under stones and bark of and pale clay-yellow abdomen and three tar- trees, where it lurks within a tubular retreat, s*^' daws. The spider is easily recognizable by its elon- gate form, orange legs, dark mahogany cara- 4- Segestria senoculata (Linnasus). pace and pale clay-yellow abdomen. The Sevenoaks. palpal bulb of the male has no cross-piece at . , , , i r • , L T-L J • 1 1 r> Not common ; under bark of trees, m the the apex. 1 he spider is also known as £>. ^ , ' n ■ i , TJ1 1 II crevices of loose stone walls and amongst de- ervthrvna. clackwall. ,, , „ ....... ° ^ ■' ^ ' tached rocks. Recognizable by its linear form 2. Dysdera crocota, C. L. Koch. and the black diamond-shaped blotches on the Gravesend (F. P. S.). dorsal surface of the abdomen. Larger than the last species, with a deep orange-pink carapace, orange legs, and abdo- 5. Schcenohates walkeri, Blackwall. men with a delicate rosy-pink flush. The Broadstairs (Walker), palpal bulb of the male has a cross-piece at , , .,^ ,, .,,,.,. the apex. This spider is also known as D. ^r. Walker was in the habit of making rubicunda, Blackwall. microscopical slides of his specimens, and it is highly probable that this spider was an 3. Harpactes hombergii (Scopoli). immature Dysderid flattened out by the glass Rusthall (T. R. R. S.). cover-slip.
