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THE SPIDERS OF EPPING FOREST.
English language. True it is that the study can boast of
abundance of valuable embellishments bestowed by such well-
known scientists as Mr. F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, the Rev.
John Hull, Dr. G. Carpenter, etc., but the foundations laid in
this country by the untiring industry of Mr. John Blackwall and
the Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge can hardly be expected to
support the rapidly-increasing structure of araneological science
superimposed by a few earnest students of this much-neglected
order. A practical difficulty, too, presents itself in the scarcity of
copies of Mr. Blackwall's Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland and
the Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge's Spiders of Dorset, and in the
face of such facts I may be allowed, perhaps, to add my iota to
the splendid efforts of these veteran araneologists.
In the hope of affording assistance to prospective students
of the order I feel justified in devoting a considerable portion of
the space at my disposal to the consideration of the anatomy and
classification of the Araneae, trusting that opportunities will
arise later for the publication of more detailed generic and
specific descriptions. It will be obviously impossible to publish
full drawings of all the species enumerated, but I hope to
illustrate many of the more important specific distinctions, by
means of which the collector will be enabled to recognise at
least the commoner and more striking of the Epping Forest
Spiders. I find from experience that simple, diagrammatic
drawings are of far greater practical value than heavily shaded
productions of a more pretentious character, and I propose to
model the present illustrations in accordance with this belief. In
generic and specific descriptions, similarly, style and effect must
be sacrificed to clearness, even at the risk of frequent iteration
and monotony of expression.
In order to facilitate reference the subject matter might, I
think with advantage, be arranged as follows :—
I. Anatomy, including description of anatomical
terms.
II. Classification.
III. Practical Work, including collection, examination,
and preservation of specimens and noting of
habits.
IV. Literature.