The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 vols. 1985 - 1987. (Reprint 1993). 237 col pls. figs. 705 p. gr8vo. Paper bd.

The book combines scientific accuracy with conspicous artistry, whichcan stand alongside Blackwall's great pioneering work. A total of 307species, and in some cases both sexes, are illustrated in full colour,greatly enlarged to aid identification, and representative of all thatare found in Britain and Ireland. In the colour illustrations most species, in dorsal view with legs outstretched, more or less fill the page. The book is divided into two groups: the first provide a generala general introduction to arachnology, including morphology and behaviour, classification and nomenclature, and a key to the families.This is followed by descriptions of all the species in the families fromAtypidae to Theridiosomatidae. The other part is devoted entirely to themainly smaller Linyphiidae, including the 'money spiders'. The text iscondensed and written principally to assist the identification of thespecies. Of major importance are the 100 pages of text figures providingcomparative line-drawings of the critical features, usually the genitalia, by which the species may be determined. In no previous workin the arachnid literature have illustrations of this standard beenpublished, and they provide an indispensable tool for the accurate identification of the British species.