J, H. Emerton — Weuo England Therididce. 15 



Theridium unimaculatum, new. 



Plate II, figures 4, 4a. 



This species diifers much in colors and markings from the otliers 

 and may almost always be distinguished by the white abdomen with 

 a black spot in the center of the back. The females are 2'""' long, 

 the males a little smaller. The cephalothorax is orange with a 

 blackish spot around the eyes and extending backward in a point as 

 far as the dorsal groove ; there is also a narrow black line along th.e 

 edges. The legs are yellow or light orange in the female and orange 

 brown in the male, the first and second pairs are also much stouter in 

 the male. The sternum is orange with black edges. The abdomen is 

 white with a black spot above and another around the spinnerets. 

 The hinder edge of the epigyniim is turned outward in the middle 

 where it has a single small opening. Fig. 4i. The palpal organ has a 

 short tube about half the length of the tarsus, supported by two flex- 

 ible appendages. There is also a large two-pointed black tooth at 

 the end of the palpal organ. Fig. 4a. 



This spider is common in Eastern Massachusetts and Connecticut, 

 on bushes in summer and mider leaves in winter. I have not seen 

 the web. 



Theridium frondeum Hentz. 



Phyllonethis j)lacens Keys., type in Miis. Comp. Zool., Cambridge, Mass. 

 Plate III, figures 1 to \h. 

 Length of female 3 or 4"'"^; length of first leg, 8 to 10'""\ The 

 color is light yellow with markings which are very variable. Usu- 

 ally the thorax has two tine black lines from the eyes backward, unit- 

 ing behind the dorsal groove, and black edges. The legs are usually 

 darker at the ends of the joints. The abdomen has the undulated light 

 band in the middle, as in other species of the genus, usually bordered 

 by brownish transparent spaces with two black spots just over the spin- 

 nerets. Sometimes there are black spots in these transparent bands, 

 especially toward the hinder end, and these may be united into two 

 long black patches. Figs. \b, \c. In some individuals of both sexes the 

 black on the cephalothorax forms a wide band in the middle almost 

 covering the back, and a black stripe of similar width extends backward 

 on the abdomen for half its length. Fig. Ye, If. These black striped 

 individuals have all the other variations of color and markings. The 

 males have all the colors and spots brighter and the legs longer than 

 females. The mandibles of the males are longei*and curved inward 

 on the front and outer sides, and have at the base in front a low con- 



