DESCRIPTION OF GENERA AND SPECIES. 183 



interspersed at irregular intervals with yellow spots. Along the dorsal median extends a 

 narrow band of yellow, upon which are placed two angular or lance-head markings, pointed 

 forward, the first of which is placed about the middle of the basal part and the second 

 near the crest. This color band continues more or less regularly along the dorsum to the 

 apex, and in some examples reminds one of Epeira diademata's pattern. About the middle 

 of the dorsum is a shield shaped figure with scalloped edges, blackish brown in color for 

 the most part, though interrupted by yellow lines of a herring bone pattern ; a narrow 

 yellow border encompasses the folial shield ; color of dorsum and posterior half of shoulder 

 humps yellow. Dark brown waving and interrupted lines extend along the sides, between 

 which are small round spots, distributed laterally along the sides with more or less reg- 

 ularity. A broad brownisli band extends along the venter from the spinnerets to the 

 epigynum, bordered along either side by a yellow band more or less interrupted in various 

 specimens, with a median band which is sometimes divided longitudinally. The epigynum 

 (Plate IX., Id) is provided with a rather short scapus, wide at the base, and terminating in 

 a well defined spoon. It has a wide subtriangular atrioluni, but rather small for such a 

 large species; the scapus is short, but little differing in width throughout, and terminates in 

 a rounded, heart shaped, brown, chitinous tip, which is spooned. 



Male : Plate IX., Fig. 2. Although I have received a large number of females of this 

 species I have but one mature male thereof. It is small, compared with his mate, having 

 a total length of 8 mm. The cephalothorax is a longer oval than in the female, having at 

 the base a width of 3.5 mm. The color is yellowish brown ; it is less pubescent than the 

 female, the fosse a longitudinal slit, with a rectangular depression around it. The eves are 

 arranged about as in the female ; the mandibles are much feebler, comparatively longer, and 

 semiconcave upon the front surface, with a rounded cog at the base. The legs are yellow, 

 with decided median annuli upon the tibia and metatarsus ; spines yellow, with brown 

 bases, and are particularly long underneath femur-I, where they are grouped and clustered 

 about the middle. Tiijia-II is not swollen, and has no special clasping api>aratus. The 

 palpal digit is globuku-, with a strong hooked process at the base of the cymbium. (Fig. 2a.) 

 The abdomen is shaped as in the female, though much smaller, with decided shoulder 

 humps, and strong spinous bristles of yellowish bright color sparsely scattered over the 

 surface. 



Distribution: This is one of the largest orbweavers of the Pacific Coast, and is found 

 from San Diego nortliward as far as British Columbia. Numerous specimens have been 

 received from Mrs. Eigenmann, Mr. Orcutt, Dr. Davidson, Dr. Blaisdell, IMr. Curtis, and 

 others; from Utah (Professor Orson Howard); and the Marx Collection notes it from Dakota, 

 Montana, and Louisiana. The spider makes a large circular web chai-acteristic of the 

 Angulata group to which it belongs, and rests in a nest of rolled leaves or dome shaped 

 rubbish placed on the upper side of its snare. 



No. 41. Epeira taucardia, new species.' Plate IX, Figs. 4, 4a~d. 



Female; Among collections sent from Southern California I have a single specimen, a 

 mature female, which on the whole appears best classified with the genus Epeira. Its total 

 length is 5 mm. The color is bright yellowish brown, mottled with black and darker brown. 



Cephalothorax : A rather long oval, corselet well peaked in the centre ; head slightly 

 depressed; caput strongly marked witli dark longitudinal lines; sternum smooth, glossy, 

 dark brown (Fig. 4a) ; almost as wide as long, with slight sternal cones. 



Eyes: In their grouping the eyes approximate more closely Zilla than those of the 

 typical Epeira. (Fig. 4c.) They do not greatly differ in size, the side eyes being smaller 

 and the midrear pair the largest of all. The drawing of these eyes is unfortunately very 

 i mperfect. 



'"Bucardia," an ox heart. The single specimen of this species was unfortunately lost during the 

 drawing of plates, and I am not able to revise my original notes of description. The plate having been 

 printed before this loss was discovered, I cannot omit the species, as I otherwise would have done, but 

 submit description as above without revision. 



