Mr. R. H. Meade on the British species of Phalangiidse. 407 



first and second joints are armed with long teeth. The third 

 and fourth joints are branched ; the under surface of the latter 

 is also provided with two or three teeth, and the ends of both 

 the branches and the terminal joints of the palpi are covered 

 with dark hair. The legs (which together with the palpi and 

 eye-eminence are testaceous in colour) are annulated with pale 

 rings. The apices of the femora and first joints of the tibise are 

 each armed with one or two sharp and long spines (fig. c). The 

 coxse of the first pair of legs are armed on the under surface 

 with numerous teeth. 



The male is similar in form and colour to the female, but is 

 much smaller ; it has the eye-eminence proportion ably larger and 

 the spines on the legs longer. 



This very remarkable-looking animal, which, with its large 

 spiny head and great eyes, presents a very grotesque and even 

 (through the microscope) formidable appearance, is not figured 

 or described in any work that I have seen, which leads me to 

 the belief that it is perhaps peculiar to Great Britain. It is 

 generally distributed, but not common in this country. I have 

 twice found it in the neighbourhood of Bradford ; I have also 

 received specimens from Mr. Blackwall, collected in North 

 Wales, and have likewise obtained it from other parts of Eng- 

 land, and from Ireland. 



Genus 3. Opilio, Herbst. 



Legs of moderate length, the second pair, which is always the 

 longest, not generally being more than four times the length of 

 the body, and in the females often less ; the first joints of the 

 tarsi [heels) undivided. Body somewhat depressed : cephalo- 

 thorax with three projecting teeth on its upper and front sur- 

 face, and with the lateral margins often crenulated or toothed. 

 Eye-eminence small, and with a toothed crest. Palpi of mode- 

 rate length, the third and fourth joints often with projecting 

 processes or angles ; the first and second joints are always armed 

 with numerous large and strong spines on the under surface; 

 coxse and trochanters also spiny ; dorsal band when present 

 generally oblong and square at the extremity. Edges of the 

 abdominal rings often fringed with sharp tubercles or spines. 



1. Opilio histrix, Latr. PL XI. fig. 6. 



Cor pore cinerascente, vel testaceo, quadrato-ovali et depresso ; 

 thoracis lateribus valde crenatis, et spinis tribus robustis, ap- 

 proximatis et porrectis, marginis antici medio positis ; tuber- 

 culo oculifero granulis obsolete coronato ; abdomine vitta dor- 

 sali nigricante, quadrata ; pedibus crassis et brevibus. 



Long. foem. 4 ad 5, maris 3 lin. 



