198 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1888. 



The dark variet}" of this species resembles in 

 the markings of the abdomen the lighter variety, 

 the abdomen, however, in the specimens pos- 

 sessed by me, appears to be of a more uniform 

 oval shape throughout. The colors of the ab- 

 domen are black, with yellow markings. On 

 either side are two broad broken bands of cir- 

 cular and irregular waving figures, which meet 

 in front and at the apex. The cephalothorax 

 and the legs are of a dark reddish brown or even 

 blackish. The bands on the cephalothorax are 

 also quite black, as are the tips of the palps. 

 This may be the normal color of the female 

 Fig s ""^^nebrata. after depositing the cocoon, but I have so many 

 Female, dark variety. X 3- spccimeus that are marked in this way, that 

 it seems well to note the difference. (See Fig. 8.) (Ep. vertehrata, 

 var. pidlus.) 



Epeira balaustina, n. sp. 



4. I have three female sj'jecimens of this beautiful spider, one of 

 which I collected in Florida ; another was sent by ]Mr. C. A. Townsend, 

 from Swan Island, Caribbean Sea, and a third was sent to me by the 

 late Mr. William M. Gabb, from Santo Domingo. 



The sjDiders differ little in size, and measure in length 15 mm. 

 The abdomen is of a slightly triangular shape, in this I'espect approx- 

 imating Ejyeira domiciUorum. The abdomen is a bright yellow color, 

 somewhat mottled upon the sides and around the ventre with a 

 darker shade of yellow or yellowish brown. The markings are a 

 quadruple series of lines drawn from the pits that indicate the mus- 

 cular attachments, longitudinally, to the apex. The spinnerets, legs, 

 sternum and cephalothorax are of a bright orange, except where the 

 abdomen overhangs the latter, which is yellow. 



The palps are a lighter shade inclined to yellow. The legs are 

 without distinct annuli, except the Florida specimen, which has a 

 broad black ring around the upper part of the thighs of the first, 

 second and fourth pairs of legs. The cephalothorax and abdomen 

 are covered with white hairs, and the leg armature is of the same 

 color, and rather weak and sj^arse. 



The epigynum consists of a short flap, tri-lobed at the tip, which 

 is slightly separated from a thicker flap of similar shape, but which 

 consists ai)parently of three folds. Viewed from the side the epigy- 



