THE SPIDERS OF EPPING FOREST.
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being not far from the base. Fang groove very oblique;
outer edge with three usually strong denticulations,
inner edge with two .. .. .. Drassus
Maxillae externally convex inclined towards labium, the
point of insertion of the palpus being near the middle.
Fang groove almost transverse, either without denticu-
lations or with small ones .. .. .. 3
3. Posterior row of eyes not, or hardly longer than anterior
row .. .. .. .. .. Prosthesima
Posterior row of eyes considerably longer than anterior
row .. .. .. .. .. Phaeocedus
Genus DRASSUS, Walck.
Spiders of elongate flattish form, somberly coloured, the
prevailing tint being brown. Twelve species are recorded as
British, but up to the present Epping Forest has only furnished
specimens of four of them.
Drassus lapidosus, Walck.—Fairly common over the
whole Forest area, under bark or loose stones, or amongst dry
earth.
Drassus troglodytes, C. L., Koch.—A rather rare spider.
I have taken the very distinct female near Loughton.
Drassus sylvestris, Bl.—Taken near Theydon Bois, by
the Rev. O. P. Cambridge.
Drassus blackwallii, Thor.—An immature specimen,
which I feel pretty sure belongs to this species, was found in an
out-building at High Beach.
The following British species have not yet occurred in the
Forest: D. cupreus, Bl., D. pubescens, Thor., D. macer, Thor.,
D. ferrugineus, Bl., D. reticulatus, Bl., D. minor, Cb., D. myticus,
Ch. and D. minusculus, L. Koch.
Genus PHOEOCEDUS, Simon.
Spiders similar to Drassus in many respects, but considerably
more brilliantly coloured. One extremely rare species, P.
braccatus, L. Koch, has been found in Britain, but it has not
occurred in the Forest.
Genus PROSTHESIMA, L. Koch.
Spiders very similar to Drassus in structure and habits.
The caput, as a rule, is rather narrower than in that genus, and
the prevailing colour is black.
Prosthesima subterranea, C. L., Koch.—A single male
has been taken at Loughton.