228 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



"Asia merid.; Malaisia et Polynesia;"- 9 the third, which con- 

 sists of two species only, viz., P. crassipes, Keys., and P. kochi, 

 Cambr., occurs only in " Nova Hollandia." 3 ' Nothing is known 

 of the habits or life-history of either of these species; in fact, no 

 observations have been recorded as to the economy of any 

 members of the group. 



The group Cyrtarachnea? is a widely distributed one, and con- 

 tains half-a-dozen genera, many of the species of which are 

 striking forms. Two genera occur in Australia, viz., Cyrtarachne y 

 Thor., and Pcecilopachys, E. Sim. Of these the range of the 

 former is " Reg. mediterr. Occident.; Africa tropica occid. orient., 

 austr. et ins.; Asia centr., merid. et orient.; Japonia ; Malaisia ; 

 Nova Hollandia ; and that of the latter, " Nova Hollandia et 

 Polynesia." 81 



In reference to their webs, Simon remarks that those that have 

 been observed are large and very regular. I have collected 

 several specimens of Pcecilopachys bispinosa, Keys., around 

 Sydney. Most of them were obtained by beating bushes over 

 an inverted umbrella ; one individual that I was fortunate 

 enough to observe was resting on a bright green leaf, in which 

 position it simulated, to a marvellous degree of fidelity, the 

 excreta of a bird. Indeed I at first regarded it as such, but 

 knowing that this habit is common with many species of the 

 Arthropoda, I was induced to look more closely, and so detected 

 the deception. Others who have brought me specimens, or to 

 whom I have pointed out this habit, have confirmed my observa- 

 tion. The legs of the animal are short, and when it is at rest 

 these are bunched-up closely to its sides ; the abdomen is large, 

 and its anterior extremity projects boldly over the cephalothoi ax; 

 on its upper surface there are two large acuminate tubercles ; 

 these latter are dull white, and are elevated on a broad trans- 

 verse field of yellow-brown, in front of which is a transverse bar 

 of dull white; hence the colours of the animal, together with its 

 dorsal abdominal tubercles and bunched-up legs, simulate most 

 unmistakeably the irregular mass of chalky-white and brown so 

 characteristic of the excreta of birds. I have seen specimens of 

 this species from the South Sea Islands and from many parts of 

 Australia. 



Cyrtarachne setosa, Keys., is another striking form, the legs 

 and abdomen of which are armed with stout bristles. The type 



'-'■'Simon — Loc. cit., p. 870. 

 Simon — Loc. cit., p. 871. 

 -'Simon— Loc. cit., \>. SSO, p. 876, fig. 942. 



