190 Mr. J. Black wall's Characters of some 



several curved, spiny processes, and are of a dark red-brown 

 colour. 



Mr. T. Blackwall found this species among heath, in Traf- 

 ford Park, near Manchester, in October 1832, at which sea- 

 son of the year it pairs. 



Neriene cornuta, 



Cephalothorax glossy, inversely heart-shaped, depressed 

 behind, with a large indentation in the medial line, and the 

 sides are marked with furrows extending from the superior 

 part to the margins ; the anterior part is elevated and sur- 

 mounted by two conical protuberances directed forwards, be- 

 low which, in front, the eyes are situated. Mandibles strong, 

 conical, perpendicular, and armed with teeth on the inner 

 surface. Maxillae inclined towards the lip, which they encom- 

 pass. Lip short, prominent at the apex, and semicircular. 

 Pectus convex and heart-shaped. These parts are of a very 

 dark-brown colour, the anterior portion of the cephalothorax 

 being almost black. The colour of the legs and palpi is light 

 red-brown. The two superior tarsal claws are slightly pecti- 

 nated, and the inferior one is inflected near its base. The 

 fourth joint of the palpi is shorter than the third, and pro- 

 jects three apophyses from its anterior extremity, one on the 

 inner side, which is long, curved, and pointed; a small one in 

 front, which is also curved, and pointed ; and one on the un- 

 der side, which is short and obtuse ; the fifth joint is oval, con- 

 vex externally, concave within, comprising the sexual organs ; 

 they are highly developed, complex with spiny processes, and 

 are of a dark red-brown colour. Abdomen oval, rather con- 

 vex above, projecting jover the base of the cephalothorax, 

 sparingly supplied with short hairs, glossy, and black, with 

 the exception of the plates of the spiracles, which are of a pale 

 yellow colour. 



Length, from the anterior part of the cephalothorax to 

 the extremity of the abdomen, y^th of an inch ; length of the 

 cephalothorax ^; breadth ^ ; breadth of the abdomen ^ T ; 

 length of an anterior leg /^; length of a leg of the third 

 pair £. 



I captured males of this species in May 1833, on rails and 

 gates at Oakland ; but the female has hitherto escaped de- 

 tection. 



Closely allied to the spiders of the genus Linyphia by the 

 disposition and relative size of their eyes, but approximating 

 more nearly to those of the genus Theridion in the structure 

 of the mouth and the relative length of their legs, the Nerience 



