198 Transactions. — Zoology. 



dark bands on ventral surface. Anterior portion of vulva 

 consists of a reddish-black oblong, transverse, tapering eminence, 

 circular fovea at either end, projecting upwards ; on posterior 

 side is a large, broad, clear yellow incurved lip. 



Web consists of irregular lines ; cocoons ovoid, yellowish- 

 brown, undulations shaded with brown, loose felty texture; 

 contain about 40 pale straw-coloured spherical eggs, not agglu- 

 tinated together, but wrapped in a second delicate soft silky 

 cocoon. 



Taken in March ; Cliffs, North Shore, Auckland, A.T.U. 



Theridium sericum, sp. n. PI. VIII., fig. 5. 



Length of a mature female 9 mm., and of immature male 5 mm. 



Cephalothora.v broad-oval, glossy, yellowish-brown, moderately 

 constricted in front ; median fovea circular, radial and caput 

 stria? moderately marked ; contour of profile rises at an angle of 

 45° from thoracic junction to verge of median indentation, then 

 slopes across caput. Ctypeus convex, prominent, in height more 

 than half facial space. 



Eyes disposed in two transverse curved rows, forming a 

 narrow oval space ; four intermediate eyes nearly form a square ; 

 anterior pair darkest and rather smallest of eight ; posterior pair 

 rather less than their diameter apart, and more than that in- 

 terval between them and lateral eyes next to them ; side eyes 

 contiguous, placed obliquely on small black tubercles, have the 

 pearly lustre of hind-centrals. 



Legs moderately long and strong, 1, 4, 2, 3 = 18, 15, 14, 10 

 mm.; i eddish-brown ; armature fine dark hairs and slender 

 bristles ; superior tarsal claws, 1st pair, moderately curved, 

 free and thickening a little, tip bent inwards, 7 comb-teeth 

 rapidly increasing in length and strength, strong teeth have 

 somewhat the form of free end, directed forwards ; inferior claw 

 sharply bent, 2 teeth differing in size, close together. 



Palpi resemble legs in colour and armature, palpal claw re- 

 sembles superior tarsal claw, 7 teeth. 



Falces convex, tapering, directed moderately forwards, few 

 teeth, bright light-mahogany colour. 



Maxilla long, pointed, much inclined towards labium, which 

 is somewhat oval, apex truncated, less than half length of 

 maxillas ; these organs have a reddish-brown hue, apices light. 



Sternum broad cordate, yellowish-brown, few dark hairs. 



Abdomen oviform, convex above ; chocolate-colour, series of 

 four or five creamy-brown angular bars on dorsal surface, few 

 fine dark hairs, abdomen has a soft silky lustre. Vulva on 

 anterior side forms a low wrinkled, membranous arched hood, 

 centrally produced into a yellowish spathulate process, directed 

 backwards; moderately concave within, yellowish : oblong oli- 

 vaceous mark in centre. 



