PSYCHE. 



A PRELIMINARY SYNOPSIS OF THE HARVEST-SPIDERS 

 {PHALANGIIDAE) OF MISSISSIPPI. 



BY CLARENCE M. WEED, HANOVER, N. H. 



The present paper is based upon a 

 collection of Phalangiidae kindly sent 

 me at various times during the last 

 three years by my brother, Mr. Howard 

 Evarts Weed, of the Mississippi Agri- 

 cultural College. Nearly all of the 

 specimens were taken in the vicinity of 

 the College, which is located in Oktib- 

 beha County, a little north of the center 

 of the State, so that the northern and 

 southern extremities of Mississippi are 

 not represented. This probably ac- 

 counts, in part at least, for the fact that 

 in the large number of specimens col- 

 lected only three species are found. 



The most remarkable thing connected 

 with these phalangiids is the large size 

 of their bodies and the length of their 

 legs. Each form is the southern repre- 

 sentative of a northern species in which 

 the body is smaller and the legs are 

 larger. I presume this variation in size 

 is due to the longer period of growth 

 and feeding at the south, but the discus- 

 sion of variations is not the purpose of 

 the present paper. 



Family PHALANGIIDAE. 

 Subfamily Phalangiinae. 



Arachnids having the body composed of a 

 single piece, and long, slender legs. The 

 teguments are not coriaceous, though often 



quite solid. The segments are only indicated 

 by striae, which are often obsolete. There 

 are five ventral abdominal segments ; a single 

 anal piece, and two distinct lateral pores on 

 upper margin of cephalothorax. The maxil- 

 lary lobe of the palpus has two tubercles. 

 The two eyes are placed upon a blunt tubercle 

 (the eye-eminence) on the median line of the 

 cephalothorax not far from its front margin. 



The three Mississippi forms all belong 

 to the single genus Liobunum, the prin- 

 cipal characters of which are the fol- 

 lowing : — 



Anterior and lateral borders of the cephalo- 

 thorax smooth. Eye eminence relatively 

 small ; smooth, or rarely provided with small, 

 slightly distinct tubercles; widely separated 

 from the cephalic border. Lateral pores 

 small, oval, and marginal. Anal piece large, 

 transverse-oval or semi-circular, much wider 

 than long. Mandibles short, similar in the 

 two sexes; first joint furnished at the base 

 below with an acute tooth. Palpi simple; 

 femur, patella and tibia without any process 

 and without projecting angles; maxillary 

 lobe provided at the base with two strong, 

 conical teeth. Maxillary lobe of the second 

 pair of legs very long, nearly straight from 

 the base, not attenuated, directed mesad 

 nearly horizontally, and united on the ventro- 

 meson to the lobe from the opposite side 

 without forming a sensible angle; the two 

 together lightly arched on the cephalic 

 border, and forming an even curve. Sternal 

 piece large, slightly contracted between the 



