s 



Ukquhart. — On New Species of Araueidsc. 259 



reddish-brown, viewed from beneath spiral ; free end long, 

 basal half broad, concave above, tapers forward into a fine 

 black apophysis, \Yhicli partially encircles the stone-grey 

 truncated apex of genital bulb ; this greyish area displays two 

 short, conical, brown eminences ; attached just above these 

 eminences, and projecting forwards in contact with the lamina, 

 is a remarkable milky-white, membranous, somewhat spindle- 

 diaped process. 



Falccs rich red chocolate-colour ; somewhat conical ; pro- 

 file convex, fore-half inclined inwards. 



MaxillcB reddish-chestnut, pale apices; linear, pointed, 

 much inclined over labium, wliich is nearly as long as broad, 

 pointed ; mahogany-brown. 



Sternum red-chestnut ; broad-cordate ; covered with small 

 papillae, projecting black hairs. 



Abdomen oviform, convex above ; hairs fine, sparse ; 

 ground-colour light stone-brown ; base and lateral margins 

 marked with numerous vertical and horizontal purple-brown 

 dots and dashes ; dorsal field displays a series of four purple- 

 browm, recurved, undulating bands, decreasing in width from 

 fore-end ; four anterior impressed spots, which are large and 

 of a reddish colour, occur on the first and second bands ; 

 venti"al surface stone-brown, light margins. 



Males of this species apparently rare. Te Karaka, 

 A. T. U. 



Gen. Latrodectus, Walck. 



Latrodectus katipo, var. atritus, var. nov. 



Cephalothorax, legs, and palpi brown ; shade darker than 

 type-form. 



Abdomen black. 



A female specimen of this new Latrodectus was handed 

 over to me for determination by Mr. T. F. Cheeseman. The 

 chief difference between it and L. katipo is the absence of the 

 red median stripe on the abdomen. 



On referring to Mr. C. H. Kobson — who first brought 

 the variety under notice — he stated that he first found the 

 spider in 1882, on the north end of Portland Island, off the 

 Mahia Peninsula, Hawke's Bay. The natives assert that the 

 variety is also to be found on the Mahia ; but Mr. Eobson 

 never met with examples here himself : apparently its range 

 is limited. The localities it aifects, its habits, cocoon, and 

 eggs resemble those of L. katipo ; " and the young are marked 

 exactly like the young of that species." Mr. Eobson further 

 states, " but out of hundreds of mature specimens which I 

 have examined not one had a trace of the red dorsal stripe, 

 so distinct a feature in L. katipo." 



The variety is knowm to be venomous. When bitten the 



