DESCRIPTION OF GENERA AND SPECIES. 193 



Moreover, the eyes of Marxia are removed from the margin of the clypeus by a space 

 equal to four or more times their diameter, making a high clypeus; whereas in Epeira the 

 midfront eyes are close to the clypeus mai^in, not being separated usually more than 2 or 

 2.5 diameters, and often less, making thus a low clypeus. Further, both eye rows are 

 decidedly procurved, which is tlie case with the front row of Epeira alone. Again, the 

 typical species of Marxia is distinguished from the typical Epeira by the peculiar furry 

 covering of the caput and margin of the cephalothorax, and especially of the abdomen. 

 The latter organ is so closely covered that the skin is entirely concealed in parts thereof. 

 Moreover, tlie skin of the abdomen is marked by symmetrically arranged rows of hard, 

 smooth circular spots or dimples, resembling those which are found in Acrosoma. Upon 

 these differences 1 found the genus Marxia ; the diagnosis in other respects corresponding 

 with that of Epeira. 



No. 50. Marxia stellata (Walckenaer). Plate XII, Figs. 4, 5. 



1805. Pkdana stellata, Walckenaer . . Tabl. d'Aran., p. 65, Fig. 54. 



1837. Plectana stellata, Walckenaer . . Ins. Apt., ii., 171. (Bosc, Carolina Spiders.) 



1850. Epeira stellata, Hentz J. B. S., p. 22; Id., Sp. U. S., p. 125, xiv., 12. 



1864. Epeira stellata, Keyserling . . . Beschr. n. Orbitel., p. 140, vi., 24, 25. 



1884. Epeira stellata, Emerton . . . . N. E. Ep., 319, xsxiv., 17; xxxvii., 3, 4, 5. 



1889. Epeira stellata, McCook Amer. Spidere and their Spinningwork, Vol. I. 



1890. Epeira stellata, Marx Catalogue, p. 548. 



Fe.male: Length varies in adults, but described specimen measures 12 mm.; cephalo- 

 thorax, 5 mm. long, 4 mm. wide ; abdomen, 11 mm. long, 9 mm. wide, measuring from the 

 tips of the cones in front and rear. 



Cephalothorax : A rounded oval, truncated and indented at the base, high in the 

 middle, slfarply sloping from crest to base ; caput squarely truncate at base, well arched to 

 tne head, which is much elevated and bulging at the sides, forming low humps; fosse a 

 lateral pit ; color varying from reddish brown to yellowish brown, and provided, partic- 

 ularly along the head and margin of the clypeus, with thick, golden yellow, plumelike hairs. 

 The sternum is shield shaped, rather rounded at the edges, somewhat longer than wide; 

 with sternal cones ; elevated and fiat in the middle ; heavily clothed with strong, yellowish 

 white, bristlelike hairs ; color brown, with a broad median patch of yellow or yellowish 

 brown. Labium subtriangular, half the height of the maxillse, which are rounded on the 

 outer margins and bluntly triangular on the tips; as wide as or wider than long; color 

 brown, with yellowish tips. 



Eves: Ocular quad on a high prominence; glossy yellowish brown, smooth within the 

 eye sjiace, but covered at the base with plumelike golden j-ellow hairs, which extend along 

 the face, and are longer and stronger at the margin of the clypeus, a heavy cluster marking 

 the middle point thereof The quad is somewhat narrower behind than in front, where it 

 is about equal to the sides in length ; MF separated by about two diameters, MR by about 

 1.5; slightly smaller and on black bases; side eyes on the outer side of strong tubercles, 

 separated by their radius or more ; of nearly equal size, though SF appears somewhat 

 larger.' Both rows are procurved ; the clypeus is high, the margin being separated from 

 MF by 1.3 their area, or at least 2.5 times their intervening space. The distance Ijetween 

 MF and SF is twice the area of MF. 



Legs: 1,2,4,3; color yellow, with dark brown wide median and apical annuli; clothed 

 with hairs and bristles, and rather sparsely with strong, ralher short, yellowish spines, par- 

 ticularly on the basal joints. The palps are stout, armed and colored as the legs ; the 

 mandibles conical, wide, arched at the base, which project beyond the margin of the 

 clypeus, and are covered with short white hairs similar to those on the face ; color dark 

 glossy brown. 



' In the specimen the rear eye is lacking upon one side, but the normal number is upon the other. 



