46 ARANEIDEA. 
black stripe connects the three middle posterior prominences. It is probable that a series of examples 
would present much variety in the distribution of colours and consequent apparent pattern. 
Hab. Guatemata, Valley of the Motagua (Sarg). 
A single example. 
Epeira variolata, sp. n. 
Adult female, length 33 lines; male (immature), 3 lines. 
The general form of this spider is of the ordinary Epeira type. The whole of the anterior parts are yellow; 
the legs, 1, 2, 4, 3, are slightly annulated with reddish-brown, the darkest annuli being at the fore extre- 
mities of the joints. The anterior eyes of the central four form a square whose fore side is distinctly 
longer than the posterior side; these eyes are very slightly, if at all, larger than the hinder ones, the 
height of the clypeus being equal to their diameter. The hind central eyes are separated from each other 
by no more, if not rather less, than a diameter’s interval. 
The abdomen is of a subtriangular or heart shape, rounded before and obtusely pointed behind ; the upperside 
is of a creamy-white colour, with two large, convex, shining black, boss-like marks edged with a narrow 
whitish border on a black patch in a longitudinal median line a little above the spinners. These bosses 
are not contiguous to each other, but separated by about half the shortest diameter of the hinder one, 
which is of a transverse-oval shape, the fore one quite circular; on each side of these is an oblique 
row of four other smaller and much narrower-oval spots of a similar kind, and similarly margined ; the 
hinder spot is on a level with the hinder boss, and the foremost one is more than halfway along the outer 
margin of the upperside of the abdomen ; some dusky blackish markings form an indistinct border round, 
but a little short of, the anterior margin, which, as well as the sides and underside, is of a clay-yellow 
colour thickly mottled with whitish. 
The above description is taken from the immature male. The female had evidently lost its colours, and the 
markings were not so large nor so conspicuous, though similarly placed. The genital process is short, 
small, and of a simple form. 
Hab. GuaTemaua, Chamiquin and Cubilguitz (Sarg). 
Mr. Sarg’s description of the immature male is as follows:—* Thorax, legs, and 
lower part of abdomen orange verging on light burnt-sienna; on abdomen a sharply 
outlined bright green (metallic when caught) ‘Halmsich, bordered anteriorly by a narrow 
white line, posteriorly. by ten black ocelle with a clear white margin.” This, with the 
sketch added of the form and position of the ocelle, gives the exact pattern, but shows 
how the true colours have faded. 
The proper place of this spider would be next to E. bivariolata (antea, p. 27). 
TURCKHEIMIA, gen. nov. 
Cephalothorax short ; caput broadish and abruptly elevated; thorax rounded and rather gibbose on the upper- 
side, with a strong depression in the middle thoracic junction. 
Falces strong, rather inclined to the sternum, 
Maxille and labium short and Epeiriform. 
Sternum heart-shaped. 
Eyes as in Epeira ; small. 
Abdomen large, somewhat quadrate, and furnished with gibbosities of various sizes and forms. The cuticle is 
somewhat coriaceous, and densely clothed with short hairs and pubesvence. Spinners short, strong, 
compact, and in the middle of the underside of the abdomen. 
Legs short, strong, 4, 1, 2, 8, but little difference between 4 and 1, without spines. Tibie rather bent, and 
enlarging gradually towards their anterior extremities. 
This genus bears certain affinities to Epeira, Cyclosa, Gasteracantha, and Cerostris ; 
I have much pleasure in connecting Herr von Turckheim’s name with it. 
