We are not in the land of the jumping spiders or Attidae, and our few and sober-coloured examples of the group give but a feeble idea of the Attid fauna of tropical countries where these creatures abound and often rival the “ruby-tail” flies in the brilliancy of their hues. [Illustration: Fig. 8. Salticus scenicus, female, × 4.] It is one of the largest groups, numbering several thousand species, but the British list includes barely thirty, and most of these are of rare occurrence, or at all events exceedingly unlikely to be met with by any but the most energetic collector. Indeed it may be said that there is only one British species which we may look forward with tolerable confidence to finding upon some sunny wall or fence in the summer, in whatever part of the country we may be. This is _Salticus scenicus_, sometimes called the Zebra Spider. Though absolutely dowdy in comparison with most of its tropical cousins, it is a not unattractive little creature, and illustrates sufficiently well the characteristics of its tribe. Armed with a pocket-lens, a glass tube or two, and—more necessary still—the very largest amount of patience we can summon, we go in quest of the zebra spider. A tarred fence is a good hunting ground, because the spider, if present, is readily seen, but if this is drawn blank we must have recourse to a wall, where sharper eyesight will be required. [Illustration: Fig. 9. “Face” of an Attid spider, shewing the anterior eyes and the chelicerae.] Our quarry is of small size, not more than a quarter of an inch long in the body, which resembles that of the wolf-spiders in build, the abdomen not rising above the level of the fore-body or cephalothorax. It is thickly clothed with short hairs—black, white, and grey—so arranged as to show oblique zebra-like stripes on either side of the abdomen. The legs are short and robust, very different from the long thin limbs of the garden-spider; especially strong are the fore-legs. The head is broad and square, with a high perpendicular forehead, but the most remarkable features are the eyes. On the vertical front are four splendid eyes. The wolf-spider’s eyes were large, but these, in comparison, are immense, especially the median pair. Their axes are directed straight in front. Four other eyes are placed on the top of the head, far apart from each other, the more forward pair very small, the hind pair of moderate size. In some Attid spiders these great anterior eyes are wonderful objects under the microscope, deep sea-green in hue and fringed with coloured hairs. They form a veritable battery which the spider brings to bear upon the object of its chase. Human eyes, to match them in comparative size, would literally have to be as large as saucers!