BRITISH SPIDERS AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION 

3

think in terms of counties, and by retaining them as our units of area 

we are more likely to enlist the services of the large band of naturalists 

who have no inclination to delve too deeply into intricate problems of 

distribution. The alternative divisions which have been suggested are 

arbitrary. To my mind they offer no important advantage, whilst not a 

few of the published spider records could not be assigned with 

certainty to the correct division, so I have preferred to discuss 

distribution under (

a

)

counties and countries, and (

b

)

different types of 

environment. In the present chapter counties and countries will engage 

our attention. 

The Family divisions employed throughout the present book are 

those recommended in a recent paper (Bristowe, 1938). These do not 

differ greatly from those of E. Simon (1892 1903), whose invaluable 

work has remained an inspiration to all subsequent arachnologists. 

The nomenclature has undergone many changes, and it is feared 

that we have by no means reached finality yet. Some explanation is 

needed of the difficulties with which we are confronted, and of the 

grounds for changing some of the names by which we have known 

British species for many years. 

In the first place it is essential for careful comparisons to be made 

of several British and continental species before their true identity and 

the validity of the names they bear can be established with certainty. 

Many of the doubts which formerly existed have already been cleared 

up by Dr. Jackson, and it is hoped that in the near future he will 

complete a task for which no one is better qualified. 

A second disturbing feature lies in the periodic discovery of earlier 

descriptions than those previously believed to be the first. One such 

discovery forces me to sink 

Enoplognatha maritima 

Sim. 1884 as a 

synonym of

  E

.

 schaufussi 

L. Koch 1882. Where, as in this case, the 

type is available the change becomes essential. In other cases there is 

often some degree