NEOSCONA. 469 
area brown, sometimes mottled with black or white (often quite pale), with an anterior, variously defined, 
triangular, white blotch, followed by a narrow tapering white band, which is sometimes widely dilated in 
the region of the second pair of muscular scars and scalloped on the margins, and with a series of five or 
six oblique black spots, each with a small triangular white spot on its outer side; lateral area mottled 
with white and brown, or dark brown; ventral area darker, with six white spots, the median being 
elongate. Femora i. and ii. with a double series of spines beneath, 
Vulva. Basal portion narrow and straight, dilated at its base, the apical third strongly geniculate and slightly 
recurved, constricted near its apex, forming a circular concave spoon. Beneath the posterior part of the 
reflexed margin lies a small tubercle on each side, forming the termination of an inner chitinous rim, and 
having beneath it on each side the genital orifice. Seen directly from above, the apical spoon is about 
twice as long as broad. 
Hab. Nortu America’, San Diego in California *7.—Mexico, Ciudad in Durango 
(Forrer), Rincon, Acapulco, Dos Caminos (H. H. Smith), Oaxaca (Sallé, in coll. Key- 
serling!); Panama, Bugaba (Champion). 
McCook also quotes 4 the Galapagos Islands as a locality, but it is possible that he 
has overlooked the difference between VV. cooksoni, the type of which came from these 
islands, and his own species. He draws no comparison between JV. theis (Walck.) and 
N. vertebrata, obviously very closely allied, a fact he does not even mention; while 
other species that evidently belong to this group are scattered about in his work, 
without even a hint to show that the author had any idea of their near relationship. 
One cannot, of course, be quite certain that my identification of McCook’s species is 
correct; I am pretty sure, however, in spite of the three teeth figured on the tarsal 
sheath of the palpus (t. 5. fig. 4) of the male, that the forms before me are really 
identical with IV. vertebrata, and these do not differ from WN. oaxacensis (Keyserl.), of 
which the type ( @ ) is now before me. 
2. Neoscona conifera, sp.n. (Tab. XLIV. figg. 6, 6a, 6, 6; 7, 7a, 6, 2.) 
Type ¢, gynetype 2, in coll. Godman & Salvin, Total length, ¢ 6, 9 6-10 millim. 
¢g. Similar in general characters to VV. oaxacensis, except that it is much smaller; the spinulation of tibia ii. 
is different ; and the apex of the clavis of the genital bulb is not dilate. Tibia ii. has one or two spines, 
at most, at the base on the underside, and a less numerous series (20-27) on the inner side. From the 
other species of the genus it may at once be recognized by the coniform spur on coxa iv. 
Q. Carapace dull yellow, with a broad submarginal and narrow central brown band. Sternum black, with 
a pale anterior central line. Mouth-parts brown at the base, yellow apically. Mandibles dull yellow. 
Legs pale yellow, the femora becoming a shade darker towards the apex ; patellw very slightly suffused 
with pale brown at the tip; tibize with a faint basal and a large apical annulus ; protarsi with a basal, 
central, and apical annulus, the latter the most distinct ; tarsi with an apical brown annulus. Abdomen 
black, with the usual central white anterior triangle and posterior scalloped white band, more or less 
variegated centrally with brown ; the usual five or six lateral black spots on the margin with tufts of 
white hair; upper lateral area white, speckled with brown; lower lateral area black, with two or three 
dentations on the upper margin; below this and anteriorly the area is white; ventral area deep black, 
with an anterior and a posterior pair of small, round, and a median pair of elongate, white spots, Legs 
with long and numerous spines. Femora i. and ii. with a double series of spines, but the outer series is 
represented by mere bristles ; iii. with two basal series of long bristles; iv. with scarcely any. 
Vulva. Very similar to that of WV. oawacensis, but in a profile view the upper (?. ¢. anterior) margin is more 
convex. 
