Superfamily Argiopoidea 



spiders from those of the preceding supergenus; while the small 

 anterior median eyes and the form of the cephalothorax separate 

 them from the Histogonieae. 



The following are the species of our fauna that have been 

 placed in this supergenus. 



Ancylorrbanis birsutum (An-cyl-or-rha'nis hir-su'tum). — The 

 abdomen is large and globular, covering the thorax above. In 



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<o cr> 



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. Fig. 375- EYES 



OF PHOLCOMMA Fig. 376. EYES 



(After Simon) OF ANCYLORRHANIS 



the male the entire dorsum of the abdomen is covered by a shield; 

 in the female there is a plate at the base of the abdomen above the 

 pedicel. In the male there is a series of stiff bristles on the under 

 side of the femur of the first pair of legs. The length of the body 

 is three fiftieths inch. This is the Phokomma birsutum of Emerton. 

 Idionella formosa (Id-i-o-nel'la for-mo'sa). — Only the female 

 of this species has been described. About one fourth of the 

 length of the abdomen projects forward above the cephalothorax 

 in front of the pedicel; this part of the abdomen, both above and 

 below, is encased in a horny shield, which bears numerous split 

 tubercles, and is of a bright orange-red colour. The four muscle- 

 impressions are of the same colour. The length of the body is 

 less than one twelfth inch. 



Family LINYPHIIDiE (Lin-y-phi'i-dae) 



The Shcct-web Weavers 



This family includes a large number of common species; but 

 most of them are of such small size and lead such secluded lives 

 that they rarely attract attention. A few of the species, how- 

 ever, are of larger size and build more or less conspicuous webs. 

 The webs made by these are of various forms; but as they usually 

 contain one or more sheets of silk, 1 propose the term sheet-web 

 weavers as the popular name of the family. 



The sheet-web weavers belong to the series of three-clawed, 

 eight-eyed, sedentary spiders. In one genus, Antbrobia, which 



368 



