483 



DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW ARANEID^E OF NEW 

 SOUTH WALES. No. 9. 



By W. J. Rainbow, F.L.S., 



(Entomologist to the Australian Museum). 



Plates xxiii-xxiv. 



The present paper contains descriptions of several interesting 

 as well as typical forms. 



The first, Dysdera australiensis, constitutes a new generic 

 record for Australia. Simon, in his masterly work, " Histoire 

 Naturelle des Araignees,"* defines the geographical range of 

 Dysdera as: " Europa et regio mediterranea; Africa sept, et 

 max. austr. : ins. Atlanticae ; Asia centra. ; America sept, et 

 austr." For a genus, the species of which are so scattered, it 

 does not, to me, appear remarkable that it should be found to 

 occur in Australia; indeed, it seems surprising that it has not 

 been recorded before. 



The species described hereunder is a typical form, and calls for 

 no special comment. All the members of its family (Dysderidce) 

 live by hunting, rushing out upon their prey from under stones, 

 cracks of walls, or dark, damp, mossy situations. 



The species constituting the family Hersiliidce are all striking 

 forms, and may be easily distinguished by their spinnerets, which 

 are characteristic. The superior spinners (two) are very long; 

 the basal joint is robust, cylindrical, and exceeds the entire 

 length of the other spinnerets, whilst the terminal joint is taper- 

 ing, and in some genera (Hersilia, Aud. in Sav., and Tama, E. 

 Simon) very long and attenuated. 



* Deuxieme Fasicule, Tome l w -, p. 318. 



