144 Transactions. — Zoology. 



spotted with creamy-white flecks, obHque streaks of normal 

 hue, remarkable irregular black mark between second and 

 last oblique streaks ; hairs short, light, sparse. V^dva glossy, 

 reddish-black ; represents two somewhat circular connected 

 projections ; on upper surface are two fovese, intersected by a 

 longitudinal groove ; reddish-brown fan-shaped marks radiate 

 from each concavity. 



Single specimen captured at the base of Te Aroha, 

 .4. T. U. 



Theridium i^orphyreticum, sp. nov. 



Female. — Ceph. th., long, 2; broad, 1-5. Abd., long, 3; 

 broad, 2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 9, 6, 5-4, 4 mm. 



Ccplialothorax pale, brownish straw-colour ; areolate ; 

 oval, slightly compressed forwards ; pars cephalica moderately 

 convex ; lateral index equal to space from a fore-lateral eye to 

 the hind-central next to it ; thoracic fovea somewhat oval, 

 normal grooves deep ; contour of profile represents a moderate 

 arch ; clypeus nearly vertical, height scarcely equals depth of 

 eye-area. 



Posterior row of eyes sensibly procurved, median pair 

 ovate, pearl-grey, black mai'gins, separated by an interval 

 perceptibly exceeding their breadth, their diameter and a half 

 from laterals next to them ; anterior row recurved, centrals 

 brownish, placed on moderate black eminences, nearly form a 

 square with posterior pair ; lateral eyes have the brownish hue 

 of fore-centrals, seated obliquely on black tubercular emi- 

 nences, contiguous. 



Legs and cephalothorax concolorous ; moderately slender ; 

 armature very sparse. 



Palpi colour and armature of legs. 



Falces brownish straw-colour ; vertical, somewhat linear 

 and aplanate, double row of small teeth. 



MaxillcB long, roundly truncated on superior side, single 

 row of short bristles on margins, inclined towards labium, 

 which is about as long as broad, rounded; organs pale- 

 brown. 



Sternum yellowish, cordate. 



Abdomen oviform, basal end rather the widest and most 

 pointed; dorsal field — except base, which is light-brown — 

 clouded with black-brown, has a pinkish tint graduating into 

 a pale yellow-brown, thickly flecked with a lighter hue, about 

 marginal zone and ventral surface ; posterior three-fourths 

 of dorsal field clouded with reddish-purple, deepening in 

 shades towards spinners ; on median line are two creamy- 

 white marks ; basal lanceolate, forms a disconnected petiole 

 to the doubly serrate leaf-shaped posterior mark, which extends 

 to spinners ; across the constriction, below the central im- 



