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primitive form, the most striking character of the Dryinidae is 

 the remarkable raptorial front tarsi of the females. These con- 

 sist of the usual five joints, of which the fifth is always (and gen- 

 erally very greatly )abnormal, and together with one of the claws, 

 which is always extraordinarily developed, forms a seizing and 

 holding apparatus somewhat similar to that of a lobster's 'claw.' 



In most of the forms one or two preceding joints are likewise 

 somewhat modified, being more or less produced at the base be- 

 neath into a lamellate process. 



In two of the genera here characterized- Prosaiifcoii and Pa- 

 ranteon, the chelae are in their least specialized form, and the 

 fifth tarsal joint is hardly abnormal, except that at the base it 

 extends beneath the short preceding joint, and that the vestiture 

 is somewhat modified. The strongly curved claw is simple, ex- 

 cept for a tooth or angulation at or near the base beneath, and 

 at rest is folded back on the fifth joint. 



In all the genera with chelate tarsi the pulvillus is well-devel- 

 oped, the second claw is either quite small, or apparently in 

 many forms altogether wanting; the great chelar claw being 

 always folded back on the fifth tarsal joint when the insect walks 

 oi rests, and only extended when it is in the act of seizing the 

 piey. 



In Neoch'elogynus the chelae have advanced a stage in devel- 

 opment. Not only is the armature or vestiture of the fifth joint 

 often more perfect, but the point of articulation of the fourth 

 has advanced far along the fifth, to almost, or beyond, the mid- 

 dle of the whole length of this joint. In consequence of this 

 change in the point of articulation, the chelae are somewhat 

 moveable, though still incapable of perfect forward extension. 

 The claw of the chelae remains of the same form as in the just 

 named genera. 



In the higher genera the chelae are far more perfect. The 

 articulation of the fourth is pushed forward nearly to the apex 

 of the greatly elongated fifth, which lies beneath it when at rest; 

 or, expressed in another way, there may be said to be a long 

 free basal backward process to the fifth, the extremity of which 

 forms with the tip of the developed claw the apex of the chelae, 

 when these are extended. Thus when the chelae are in action 

 the apparent apex of the fifth tarsal joint is morphologically its 

 extreme base. 



In all the higher forms dealt with in this paper the fifth tarsal 

 joint, though differing in minor details, is in most respects simi- 

 lar. It is bent and somewhat dilated at its basal free extremity 



