DESCRIPTION OP GENEKA AND SPECIES. 



249 



there are resemblances between the two genera which may possibly be found sufficient to 

 justify that opinion, and remand Drexelia to the synonyma. But Simon, in his diagnosis 

 of Larinia, expressly describes the niaxilke "as in Epeira;" on the contrary, one of the 

 most striking characteristics of the typical Drexelia is that the maxilte, as in ISIeta, are 

 much longer than wide, while in Epeira the)- are as wide as long. ^Moreover, in Drexelia 

 the sternum is quite, or nearly, twice as long as wide. (See Plate XXII., Fig. 3d), while in 

 Larinia the sternum is diagnosed by Simon as simply " wider than long." For the present, 

 therefore, and in the absence of an example of the type species Larinia Defouri, upon 

 which Simon founded his genus, I retain Drexelia, as above. 



Mr. Banks has been good enough to send me specimens of his Larinia borealis, which 

 I have figured and described elsewhere. He has also sent me what he regards as a true 

 example of Ilentz's Epeira dirccta. I have presented in the drawings (Plate XXII., Figs, 

 lb, 3o) what seem to lie the most striking differences between Larinia as represented by 

 Banks' L. borealis and Drexelia as represented by D. directa. It will be observed that 

 the most marked characteristics, as above noted, are in the greater relative length of the 

 sternum and maxilla;, and metatarsi of leg-I ; in Drexelia, also, the abdomen appears to 

 have a greater relative length to its width than in Larinia borealis. Araneologists, doubtless, 

 will differ as to the importance of these characteristics, and it may well be doubted whether 

 they are sufficient to justif\' the maintenance of separate genera. At all events, Drexelia, 

 as here defined, appears to me to be a connecting link in a chain of genera which may be 

 cited in the following series: Epeira, Meta, Larinia, Drexelia, Nephila, Tetragnatha. 



No. 99. Drexelia directa (Hentz). 



Plate XXII, Fig. 3; PI. VI, 10, 11. 



1847. Epeira direda, Hentz J. B. S., v., pi. 31, 21 ; Sp. U. S., p. 110, xiii., 21. 



1847. Epcim rubdla, Hentz Ibid., Fig. 22; lb., p. 120, xiii., 22 (in part). 



1889. Epeira tetraejnathoides, C.\mbridge, Biolog. Cent. Amer., Aran., p. 16, viii., 9, 10. 



1890. Epeira deludens, Makx in lilt. . . Catalogue, y. 544. 



1892. Drexelia directa, McCook .... Proceed. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., p. 127. 



1894. Larinia directa, B.vnks Entomological Xews (Philada.), vol. v., No. 1, p. 8. 



Fem.\le: Fig. 5. Total length, 8-|- mm.; abdomen, 6.5 mm. long, 2-f mm. wide. The 

 cephalothorax, 2.5 mm. long ; abdomen projecting about 1 mm. 



Cephalothorax : A long oval, narrowed in front ; the cephalic suture well marked ; 

 coi-selet grooves distinct ; fosse long and deep ; head not depressed ; face wide ; color 

 yellowish brown or rufous. Mandibles conical, and receding somewhat inward ; colored as 

 the cephalothorax. Sternum uniform yellow, slightly pubescent; about a half longer than 

 wide (Fig. 3d) ; of nearly equal width throughout, except at the triangular apex ; with 

 decided sternal cones, esjiecially liefore cox;e-III. Labium slightly compressed at base, sub- 

 triangular at tip; height about equal to width; not half as high as the maxilhc. Maxilla; 

 decidedly longer than wide ; the shank slightly compressed, and somewhat truncate or 

 obtusely triangular at the tip; the sides but little rounded, and the width nearly equal 

 throughout. 



Eyes : ■ The ocular quad much wider in front than behind, and the height about equal 

 to the width of the front pair; MF larger than MR, .separated by about 1.5 diameter; MR 

 separated by about a radius. Side eyes on low tubercles ; SF somewhat (but little) larger 

 than SR; barely contingent. The front row slightly recurved, rear row procurved ; MF 

 removed from SF by about 1.5 their interval ; SR from MR 2 to 2.5 times their area ; 

 clypeus height about one diameter MF. 



Legs: 1, 2, 4, 3; color uniform yellow in alcoholic specimens, rather long, and not 

 stout; sufficiently armored with long, thin spines, which are much worn off in the speci- 

 mens in hand ; metatarsus of leg-I about one-fifth longer than tibia. Palps similarly 

 colored and armed. 



Abdomen: Fig. a, side view. Elongated; cylindrical; more than three times as long as 

 wide; narrowing to the apex, which projects beyond the yellow spinnerets; narrowing also. 



