igto. Kew. — /risk Species of Obisium. 109 



It had been anticipated that our species might be the one 

 described by Simon as O. vmscoriwi ; and specimens so named 

 received from him — and agreeing fairly well with his descrip- 

 tion (7) — were found to agree in every respect with ours ; 

 so that it was at last established that our third Irish species 

 is the O. nmscorurn (Leach) Simon. That this is not Leach's 

 O. vmscoriun has already- been made clear by Cambridge (4), 

 who long ago pointed out that Simon's species must have its 

 name changed ; and I propose now^ after consultation with 

 Mr. EUingsen, that it be named — in honour of Professor Geo. 

 H. Carpenter — Obisium- Carpe^iteri. 



Our three species, by no means critical among themselves, 

 are readily separated by good sharp characters. Some par- 

 ticulars of them are given below ; but in this connection it 

 must be remarked that size and coloration can only be approxi- 

 mately indicated — one has to remember also that the colours 

 are quickly altered in spirit — and as regards sex it must be 

 noted that the male is usually a little smaller than the female, 

 with the tubercle of the movable finger of the chelicerae less 

 fully developed, the palps somewhat less stout, with the tibia 

 less broad and slightly longer, the hand less voluminous, and 

 the fingers in proportion to the hand a little longer. All three 

 species are 4-eyed and without galea ; and they thus belong 

 to the sub-genus Obisium s.s. 



I. Obisium muscorum, Leach. 



0. imiscortim. Leach (8). 



O. simile (L. Kocli) Simou (7) ; iu part.^ 



Palps clear reddisli-lioniy, cephalotborax and abdominal ter<<ites deep 

 olive, the former with reddish tinge, legs horny. Cephalothorax with 

 median process obsolete ; chelicerae with tubercle of movable finger 

 (in female) high, almost semicircular, teeth of fixed finger small ; palps 



^ 0. mtiscoTum Leach is confused by Simou with O. simile L. Koch. The 

 latter was based on types collected by Simon ; and, according to 

 specimens with which he has favoured me, it resembles O. muscorum 

 in general figure as well as in having the fingers much longer than the 

 hand and tarsus ^ (leg iv.) much longer than tarsus^; but it is larger, 

 and though somewhat elongated and thus differing in build from the 

 rather stout 0. Carpenteri^ it seems more related to that species, for the 

 median process of the cephalothorax is prominent and the teeth of the 

 fixed finger are of uniform character. 



