Contributions to the South African Arachnid Fauna. 449' 



Sternum and coxae of legs spineless, but former with stiff bristles 

 anteriorly. 



/ 



Legs. Femora and patellae of anterior legs spineless but clothed 

 with moderately long stiffish hairs (often the criss-crossing of hairs 

 at their bases produces the appearance of short spiuules mixed with 

 them). Metatarsi with a few apical spines on under surface; 1st leg 

 with 1-3, 2nd and 4th with 4-6, and 3rd with 7-8. Dorsal claws on 

 4th leg with 7-8 teeth in a single row, basally ; distal ones long, basal 

 ones short and fine. 



Pedipalps. Palpal organ as in fig. 3 ; resembling a coiled spring 

 in appearance, the terminal hair-like process of which is apparently 

 inserted round the hollow interior of the crescent- shaped projection, 

 shown in the diagram of palp, and is often found subsequently coiled 

 round in the interior vaginal convolution of the ? vulva, and with 

 the broken end projecting exteriorly. 



Abdomen. With two small oval plates above genital aperture. 



Measurements. Length 10'6 mm. ; carapace 5 mm. long, and 

 3 - l mm. wide. 



It may be noticed that at Hanover two species of Eresidae are- 

 found, namely E. fumosus and E. depressus ; the latter is distinct 

 in size, disposition of spinules, and to a slight extent is lighter in 

 colour, and has the cephalic region of the carapace much less 

 prominently raised than in fumosus. 



Several $ $ also from Hanover show rather less distinctive 

 features than the $ 9 ; there are no spinules, and, as in the ? ? , 

 the proportion of the carapace to the legs and the appearance of 

 the sexual organs are much the same. As however the two forms,, 

 namely, large and dark and with arched cephalic region on carapace,, 

 and small, light, and with flattened carapace, are present in the 

 cJ c? as in the 5 $ , the first-mentioned forms have been assumed 

 to be fumosus and the latter depressus ; in the latter case there is also 

 a very slight difference in the palpal organ. 



Although the two species are distinct around Hanover, what are 

 apparently intermediate forms occur elsewhere, as at Graaff Eeinet 

 (No. 12571, cJ, ? and juv.). 



Around the Cape districts specimens resembling E. echinatus occur,, 

 but differ in colour in that the upper surfaces of the legs, especially 

 patellae and tibiae, are paler than the under surfaces, and in some 

 cases are even light yellow in colour ; these may be newly moulted 

 and insufficiently hardened specimens, although adult. The same 

 may be the case with a ^ from the Cape Province (no exact locality) 

 which has soft pale legs anterior tarsi and metatarsi hardened and 



