F. P. SMITH ON THE BRITISH SPIDERS OF THE GENUS LYCOSA. 29 



being so, the name Z. feiiiiginea, L. Koch, will have to be 

 retained for the above species. 



This rare spider was taken in Cambridgeshire. On the 

 Continent it extends at least from Western France to Hungary. 



A careful comparison of the species of Lycosa will make it 

 evident that they fall fairly naturally into several groups, not 

 sufficiently distinct, perhaps, for present recognition as genera, 

 but still very useful for practical purposes. Primarily, we 

 can divide them into two sections, which we may call the 

 Z. monticola section and the Z. saccata section. In the first the 

 female genitalia consist of a large, very conspicuous, reddish 

 plate, wider behind than in front, and the central process of 

 the male palpal organs is blunt, fairly loug. and never slender. 

 In the second section the female genitalia are seldom very 

 prominent, and are never of the red<li>h tint mentioned above. 

 The central process of the male papal organs is sometime> a 

 long spine, slender and usually sharp-pointed, sometimes simply 

 a small tubercle. 



The Z. monticola section falls into two groups, the Z. monticola 

 group comprising L. arenicola, ( lamb., L. agricola, Thor., Z. agrestis, 

 Westr., Z. monticola, Sund., and Z. pwrbecken&is, (F. Cainb.), in 

 Avhich the posterior angles of the female epigynum are angular ; 

 and the Z. herbigrada group, comprising Z. herbigrada, Bl., and 

 Z. fxdustris, (Linn.), in which the posterior epigynal angles are 

 rounded. In this latter group, also, the males have the tarsi and 

 metatarsi of the first pair of legs somewhat thickened and 

 furnished with numerous erect bristle>. 



The Z. saccata section falls also into two groups. In the 

 Z. pullata group the female epigynum is conspicuous, somewhat 

 diamond-shaped, broader than long, with a strong central septum, 

 and the central process of the male palpal organs is long and 

 slender. This group comprises Z. pullata, (Oliv.), and Z. jyrativaga, 

 L. Koch. The Z. saccata group, comprising the residue of the 

 species, is not at all sharply defined, and can only be described 

 by negative characteristics — that is to say, its species do not fall 

 under the descriptions of the other groups. Generally speaking, 

 the female organs are more obscure than in the other groups, 

 and the central process of the male palpal organs is of medium 

 length, curved, and sharp-pointed. In Z. annulata, Thor., 



