Mr. J. Blackwall on new species of Araneidea. 331 



KXXII. — Characters of a new genus and Descriptions of three re- 

 cently discovered species of Araneidea. By John Blackwall, 

 F.L.S. 



Tribe Octonoculina. 

 Family Ciniflonid^:. 



Genus Orithyia, Blackw. 



Eyes disposed on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax in two 

 transverse, slightly curved, parallel rows whose convexity 

 is directed forwards ; the intermediate eyes of the anterior 

 row are seated on a tubercle, and, with those of the posterior 

 row, form a trapezoid whose shortest side is in front ; the 

 anterior eye of each lateral pair is placed on a minute tu- 

 bercle, and is the smallest of the eight. 



Maxilla short, straight, powerful, gradually increasing in breadth 

 from the base to the extremity, which is truncated and 

 somewhat produced and rounded on the inner surface. 



Lip small, triangular, and pointed at the apex. 



Legs long and robust, with the exception of the metatarsi and 

 tarsi, which are disproportionally slender ; the first pair is 

 much the longest, then the fourth, and the third pair is the 

 shortest ; each metatarsus of the posterior pair is provided 

 with a calamistrum situated on its upper surface, in a slight 

 curve of the joint. 



Spinners eight ; those constituting the inferior pair are united 

 throughout their entire length. 



Orithyia Williamsii. 



Length of the female Jth of an inch ; length of the cephalo- 

 thorax T x n ; breadth yL ; breadth of the abdomen \ \ length of 

 an anterior leg T 9 g ; length of a leg of the third pair J. 



The cephalo-thorax is slightly compressed before, rounded on 

 the sides, convex above, and has an indentation in the medial 

 line ; its colour is dark brown, both extremities and the lateral 

 margins having a yellow-brown hue ; it is sparingly clothed with 

 short whitish hairs, which are most abundant in the region of 

 the eyes. The falces are strong, conical, vertical, and of a red- 

 brown colour. The maxillse, lip, and sternum, which is heart- 

 shaped, with small prominences on the sides, opposite to the 

 legs, are of a yellowish-brown hue, the sternum being the 

 darkest. The legs are provided with hairs and a few spines, and 

 their colour is pale dull yellow, with irregular spots and annuli 

 of a dark brown hue, the annulus at the extremity of the tibiae 

 being the broadest and most perfect ; each tarsus is terminated 



