440 ZOOLOGY. 



neck, and then (2) swells backwards, as well as forwards, into a head- 

 like prominence, which (3) presents an anterior and downward surface 

 for the falces, near which are the largest eyes; (4) the falces are 

 elongated to correspond with the development of the cephalothorax 

 and curved. In brief, when viewed from the side the cephalothorax 

 and falces combined forcibly remind one of an Ibis, or, still more, a 

 Balccniceps in a state of rest, with the head inclining backward, the 

 cephalothorax representing the neck and head, and the falces the bill. 

 The mimicry, or rather resemblance, is even stronger ia this instance 

 than that of a horse's neck and head by the anterior portion of the 

 Sea-horse, or Hippocampus. The abdomen is higher than long, and 

 rises upward in a conic prominence. This spider is of rather small size, 

 and has been described from a single immature male specimen. It has 

 been named Eriauclienus \Yorl;manni. Mr. Cambridge has provisionally 

 referred it to the family Theridiidae, and would put it ''in a separate 

 group, near the genera Argyrodes, Latr., and Ariamnes, Thor.," but 

 thinks that "very probably the future discovery of other allied species 

 will necessitate the formation of a new family for them." (P. Z. S., 

 London, 1881, pp. 767-770, pi. C6, fig. 2 a-f.) The aberration of the form 

 from its nearest relatives, indeed, appears to be sufficient, involving as 

 it must corresponding structural modifications, to justify its differen- 

 tiation as a family type without waiting for kindred species. One of 

 the prime objects of taxonomy should be to express in the system and 

 nomenclature the facts of structure, without reference to the number of 

 species nnder which peculiarities are manifested. 



Another singular Spider, unlike an ordinary spider as a spider could 

 well be, has been made known by Mr. Cambridge, under the name 

 Ariamnes attemiata. It is an inhabitant of Brazil ("the Amazons"). 

 If motionless on the ground it might be mistaken for a thorn or small 

 dirt-covered pin. The cephalothorax is oblong, and with the oculiferous 

 area elevated into a slight conical eminence. The abdomen presents 

 an extraordinary development, being subcyliudrical, very long, and 

 attenuated to an acute point, almost as much as the shaft of an ordinary 

 pin. The legs are very unequal in length, the first being longest, and 

 the fourth, second, and third pairs successively shortened; the third 

 pair are much the shortest. In fine, the animal looks at first sight much 

 more like an elongated orthopterous insect than a spider. As already 

 intimated, the genus Ariamnes ha§ been associated with Eriauclienus in 

 the same artificial family — Theridiidae. 



ONyCHOPHORA. 



Erust (A.). Some remarks on Peripatus Edwardsii Blanch. Nature, r. 23, iip. 446-445*. 



INSECTS. 

 GENERAL. 



Germany. 

 Erichson (W. F.). Naturgeschichte der Insecten Deutsclilands. Fortgesetzt von H. 

 Scliauui, G. Kraalz, II. v. Kiesen wetter iind Jul. Weise. I. Abtli. Coleoptera. 6 

 Bd., 1. Lief., bearbeitet von Jul. Weise. Berlin, Nicolai, 1881, (8vo. M. 4.50.) 



