128 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY- 



i$ t a slight variation from this in Loxosceles, the maxillae being 

 more parallel, in our species ; yet Thorell says of the European 

 species that ' ' the Scylodoidce [Pholcus, Spermophora, Scytodcs 

 and Loxosceles} agree with all these genera \Enyo, Uroctea and 

 Filistatd\ in having the maxillae closely encircling the lip." 

 The eyes in all the genera are not so much on the front part 

 of the head but more on the dorsal part of it, and situated at 

 a distance from the anterior margin of the cephalothorax. 

 The cephalothorax in some forms projects more or less in 

 front ; this is the case with Pholcus, Thalamia, Filistata and 

 Loxosceles. The upper spinnerets are long and two-jointed in 

 Thalamia, GEcobiiis and Uroctea. The extra claw-joint is present 

 in Hersilia, Pholcus, Spermophora , Scytodes, Loxosceles, Enyo 

 and Zodarium. The cephalothorax is nearly circular or sub- 

 cordate in all of the forms. In Filistata and Loxosceles the $ 

 palpus is quite embryonic ; in Scytodes it is more developed ; 

 in Pholcus it is quite complex. 



Thus, to sum up, besides the characters of the mouth parts, 

 Filistata is related closely to Loxosceles in the form of the $ 

 palpus, and through Loxosceles to Scytodes. Filistata is related 

 to Pholcus in the position of the eyes, and through Pholcus to 

 Spermophora. It is related to Thalamia in the position of the 

 eyes and in the structure of the cephalothorax, and through 

 this genus to Uroctea and (Ecobius. Pholcus is related to 

 Enyo in the position of the eyes and in the possession of the 

 extra claw -joint, while Hersilia is related to both of these 

 genera by the latter character. Thus these genera not only 

 possess certain peculiar characters in common, but they also 

 possess such interrelations, as I believe, require a separate 

 family for their reception. The Micrpgnathida may be charac 

 terized as follows : 



Spiders of lo\v rank ; mandibles small, more or less united 

 at the base ; maxillae surrounding the lip, which is sometimes 

 united to the sternum ; eyes six to eight ; cephalothorax 

 round or subcordate ; claws two or three ; upper spinnerets 

 frequently long ; claw -joint often present. 



Typical genus Filistata; other genera Scytodes, Loxosceles, 

 Dictis, Pholcus, Spermophora, Thalamia, (Ecobius, Uroctea, 

 Hersilia, Hersiliola, Enyo, Zodarium, Storena, Asceua, Laches. 



In answer to a question by Dr. Fox, Mr. Banks stated that 

 he should describe the eyes of Thalamia parietalis as forming 

 two longitudinal rows rather than as four transverse rows. 



