EPEIRA. 45 
There seems to be much variety in the strength of these spines. The colour of the abdomen is deep brown 
above, yellow-brown mixed with darker shades behind, on the sides, and underneath; the humps are deep 
yellowish-brown. In very well preserved examples no doubt some distinct pattern would be traceable 
though very variable in different examples, but most of those I have had the opportunity of examining 
had suffered some deterioration of the epidermis. The spinners are very short and compact. The genital 
process is tolerably strong, prominent, and directed backwards, the extremity of the epigyne being at right 
angles to the base. In one example, besides the prominences above noted, there are one or two other very 
small ones in a longitudinal central line on the upperside of the abdomen. 
The male resembles the female in general characters and colours (though the abdomen seemed blacker), but is 
smaller. The palpi are short, the palpal bulb large; the palpal organs very prominent, large, and 
compact though complex. ‘The tibie of the two anterior pairs of legs are armed with a few short spines. 
Hab. GuateMaLa, Cahabon, Cubilguitz, Santa Ana, Antigua, between Retalhuleu 
and Mazatenango, Retalhuleu, Quezaltepeque (Sarg); Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de 
Chiriqui (Champion). 
Both sexes of this spider were found by Mr. Sarg in various localities in Guatemala ; 
also by Mr. Champion numerously at Bugaba and other parts of Chiriqui. 
Epeira spicata, sp. n. 
Male (immature), length 33 lines, length of abdomen 23 lines. 
This spider is nearly allied to EZ. tawricornis, but is larger, and varies in the number and proportions of the 
spino-tuberculous parts of the abdomen. 
Cephalothorax longer than broad, the sides of the thorax deep rich brown; caput paler, marked above with 
patches of a deeper hue, the patches continued backwards in a tapering band to the hinder extremity of 
the thorax, its margins marked by grey-white hairs, the rest of the upper part of the caput being covered 
with greyish pubescence ; just in front of the thoracic junction are two long, erect, sharp-pointed, red- 
brown spines, almost close to each other in a transverse line (no trace of these exist in #. tawricornis). 
Falces similar in colour to the caput. 
Eyes normal. 
Legs moderate in length and strength, 1, 2, 4,3; furnished with a few spines, an irregular longitudinal row, 
some longer and stronger than the rest, disposed on the inner side of the femora of the first pair, these 
joints being stronger than those of the other legs and of a reddish-orange hue, those of the second pair 
rather paler. The rest of the joints of these two pairs, and the whole of the third and fourth pairs, are 
yellow annulated with dark brown, the dark annuli at the fore extremities of the joints being much the 
broadest. 
Maxille and labium black-brown, tipped with whitish. Sternwm heart-shaped, emarginate in front, 
black-brown, with small, but distinct, tubercular marginal eminences opposite to the insertion of 
the legs. 
Abdomen large, somewhat subtriangular or heart-shaped, with the posterior extremity produced and dilated 
into five strong conical prominences, all directed backwards, three in the central transverse line being the 
longest and subequal, the outer ones strongest and divergent, and in front of, or below, the middle one 
are the two others ; at each fore corner of the abdomen is a strong subconical bifid prominence or ending 
with two tapering spiny points, and from these forming a slightly curved line, with the outer posterior 
prominence on each side, are two other subconical ones, each ending with a sharp spiny point. The 
upper surface is thickly pubescent and of a somewhat velvety nature, showing a very distinct pattern 
though not easy to be described; the prevailing colours are grey, yellowish, brown, and blackish; a 
yellowish-white line runs from each outer spine of the two anterior prominences, obliquely backwards 
and inwards, almost meeting at the middle of the upperside, whence they run straight and parallel to 
each other to the beginning of the posterior production, where they again diverge a little, enlarge, and 
then terminate. Towards and on the sides are other irregular whitish and dark lines and markings. 
The underside is black, with a marginal border on each side of variously sized white spots; a transverse 
