/Mr. R. H. Meade on the British species of Phalangiidse. 409 



" the cephalothorax and pointed behind ; anterior margin of the 

 cephalothorax almost straight, and having an eminence in the 

 centre of its upper surface upon which are seated five or six sharp 

 teeth ; three of these, which are nearly equal in size and longer 

 than the others, are placed close together in a parallel row in 

 front and project nearly perpendicularly upwards ; behind these 

 are seated two or three others. On each lateral angle of the 

 front margin is placed another tooth, forming the inner boundary 

 of the spiracle, which is also bounded externally by one or two 

 more teeth. Between the attachments of the second and third 

 pair of legs is a small semicircular projection or crenulation of 

 the lateral edge of the cephalothorax, on which are seated three 

 short spines or rather pointed tubercles. Another similar but 

 smaller toothed projection is seated behind this, between the in- 

 sertions of the third and fourth pairs of legs. The eye-eminence 

 is small, and narrow at its upper part ; the crej^ts, which are each 

 furnished with four or five sharp tubercles, being approximated 

 together, so as to leave a very narrow groove between them ; by 

 this means the eyes, which are large, and surrounded with a 

 black ring, are made to look somewhat upwards. The falces 

 and palpi are rather small and weak. The legs are slender. 



The colour is reddish brown or gray, darker in mature spe- 

 cimens, and often variegated with white and black spots and 

 silvery reflections. The dorsal band extends through the cepha- 

 lothorax (the posterior part of which it covers) to the com- 

 mencement of the posterior third of the abdomen ; the thoracic 

 portion is triangular and broad, and at the base of the abdomen 

 it contracts into a straight longitudinal band with nearly parallel 

 sides and square extremity. The colour of the band is reddish 

 brown or black; the margins are darker than the centre, and it 

 is surrounded by a pale streak. The sides of the abdomen arc 

 mottled with white, and have a metallic silvery lustre. The legs 

 are annulated with brown, and a wide piceous band surrounds 

 the extremity of the second joint of the tibise. 



The male closely resembles the female, but is smaller and 

 darker in colour, and is more distinctly marked, having the 

 dorsal band darker and narrower. The legs are longer. 



This species bears considerable affinity to the former one 

 (0. histrix), but is much smaller, has the legs longer and more 

 slender, and the teeth on the anterior part of ths cephalothorax 

 placed in a more upright position. It is found abundantly in 

 various parts of England and Wales, at the roots of grass, in 

 meadows and pastures, at the latter end of summer. This is 

 included with several other Phalangiidse in Koch's genus Acan- 

 tholophus, the characters of which are much the same as those I 

 have assigned to the genus Opilio; I have adopted the latter 

 Ann. ^ Mag, N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol.xw. 27 



