EPEIRA. 23 
strong zigzag or dentated longitudinal black stripe on each side converges towards, but does not reach, 
the spinners; these stripes are strongest at their anterior extremity, where they also converge to a point 
just at the fore margin of the abdomen, and enclose a strongly and distinctly dentated band, broadest at 
the shoulders, and thence gradually narrowing backwards; the band is bisected longitudinally by a more or 
less continuous black stripe, strongest and most distinct at the anterior extremity, and it also contains three 
pairs of distinct dark reddish-brown spots in two longitudinal parallel lines of three each. The sides have 
an indistinct longitudinal stripe of fine blackish lines, and numerous rows of black spots running parallel 
to each other, and a little obliquely backwards from the dentated bars on the upperside. The underside 
is indistinctly marked with blackish. The genital process is reddish-yellow-brown, prominent, and of a 
very characteristic form ; its anterior portion is broad, obtuse, and bifid, or notched, and its posterior side 
has a small blunt prominence in the middle, the lateral extremities are also split. 
Hab. Panama, Veragua (Boucard). 
This spider bears a considerable resemblance to Zilla atrica, Koch. 
Epeira incerta, sp. n. 
Adult female, length 33 lines. 
Cephalothorax oval, of ordinary form. Sides of caput converging forwards, the caput itself rather narrow in 
front. Colour dull pale yellow-brown, with an indistinct central longitudinal darker stripe from the bind 
central pair of eyes backwards. 
The eyes are small and in the usual three groups, which are, however, not so widely separated as in many 
other species, owing to the caput there being narrower. The four central eyes form a square, whose 
posterior side is the shortest, and the eyes composing that side are almost contiguous to each other ; those of 
the anterior side are more than a diameter’s distance from each other, and less than that interval from the 
lower margin of the clypeus. Those of each lateral pair are seated a little obliquely on a slight tubercle, 
and not quite contiguous to each other. 
The falces are short, strong, vertical, and very prominent near their base in front ; their colour is yellow-brown, 
paler at the extremities. 
The legs are moderate in length and strength, 1, 2, 4, 3. They are of a brownish-yellow colour, the femora 
of the first three pairs strongly suffused with dark brown, the rest of the joints annulated with deep black- 
brown. They are furnished with rather long greyish hairs and spines. 
The palpi are similar in colour to the legs, and furnished with hairs and slender bristles. 
The mawille, labium, and sternum are yellow-brown, the two former paler at the extremities. 
The abdomen is short-oval, nearly as broad as long, and very convex above. It is of a pale yellow-brown 
colour, with a yellowish furcate marking in the median line of the anterior extremity, the forked part 
directed backwards; on the hinder half is an oblong darker area, faintly traced by darker lines, and the 
sides are marked by a longitudinal irregular dark blackish marking. The underside has a broad central, 
longitudinal yellowish band running backwards from the genital process, but not reaching the spinners ; 
the inferior spinners are black-brown, the rest paler brown. The genital process is characteristic, but 
not very large, it is prominent, dark yellow-brown, with a very small pale sinuously bent prominent 
epigyne. 
It is probable that other specimens of this spider would be found to have a much more decided pattern and 
colouring than the only example examined, which, however, sufficiently shows the distinctness of the 
species by the above-mentioned structure of the process and epigyne. 
Hab. Costa Rica (Rogers). 
Epeira fragilis, sp. n. 
Adult female, length a little over 1} line. 
Cephalothorax short ; thorax circular, the sides of the caput, which is very short, converging forwards. The 
whole of the anterior portion of the spider is pale yellow, with a white blotch at the occiput, immediately 
in front of the thoracic indentation. 
