ANATOMICAL NOMENCLATURE. 



127 



nearly circular. This part of the scapus I have termed the cochlear or 

 spoon (cch, Fig. 95). I believe that the scapus serves as an ovipositor, to 

 assist in the direction and arrangement of the eggs as they are extruded. 



a,tr 



Flii. 96. 



Views of Epigynum and Parts. 



It has occurred to me to 

 inquire whether there 

 exists any relation be- 

 tween the peculiar shape 

 of the scapus and the -^g 

 character of the cocoon 

 laid by the female, es- 

 pecially in the position 

 and arrangement of the 

 eggs ; but I have reach- 

 ed no ffeneralization on ' "'■ ^^' ^°^^^'' P^^'. •i"'' is. the part next the ground when the spider is 

 ^^ ^ walking ; at, atriolum ; scp, scapus ; cch, the cochlear or spoon of the 



tliis point. it is prob- scapus; po, portulae; gc, genital cleft. Fit:. 96. Side view, to show the 



able that tliis organ al- p""" "'■ '''"''''''' "''''' ■■*^f"<'°'^-'' ^« ^^°-^- 



so aids to clasp and direct the palpus of the male, or at least to regulate 



the flow of the sperm, in the act of fertilization. 



In some species, as Epeira labyrinthea, Fig. 96, there is thrown up a 

 sort of wall in front of the scapus and on the anterior margin of the genital 

 cleft, which I have termed the parmula, or simply the parm or buckler 

 (par. Fig. 96). In some species at least, as in Fig. 96, there appears a 

 groove or channel in the median part, indicating that this niay also aid in 



scp 



Qd.sp 



directing the eggs during extrusion, or again in 

 guiding the inflow of the sperm. 



Underneath the vulval porch are (usually) 

 two concave openings or little gates, portulse 

 spermathecse (po), which receive the sperm from 

 the male palp, whence it flows from 

 Oviducts : gj^gj-^ poi-tula through a duct, aditus 

 ,, spermathecas (ad.sp), sometimes simple, 



sometimes much convoluted, into the 

 spermathecse (s.th). Thence another smaller 

 duct, the oviduct (ovd), admits the sperm to the 

 eggs (ov). The ovary also has an opening into 

 the portula;, by which the eggs are discharged 

 atr, atriolum ;po, portulae; scp, scap- when cocooning. The epigyuum is subiect to 



us : sp, cochlear or spoon ; ad.sp, aditus ^ _ °^ ^ ^ ^^ ** 



spermathecas, sperm duct ; s.th, sper- immense Variations in form, and these varia- 



mathec=e;ov,the eggs; ovd, oviduct. ^-^^^ ^^.^ ^^^^^.^^ COUStaut for CVCry SpCcicS ; 



hence they are good specific characters. I have not been able to find in 

 them any fixed generic value, although there is often a noticeable tend- 

 ency to a general likeness of form in any closely related group of species. ^ 



' I hesifcite somewhat to propo.se the above anatomical terms, as the field is one which 

 I have not specially cultivated. 



Fig. 97. View of epigynum in connection 

 with ovaries (partly diagrammatic) ; 



