42 Mr.J. Blackwall on new Species of East-Indian Spiders. 
Gasteracantha helva. — 
Length of the female ;3,ths of an inch; length of the cephalo- 
thorax ,3,; breadth 4; breadth of the abdomen 37; length of a 
posterior leg 2; length of a leg of the third pair 4. The abdo- 
minal spines are not included in the measurement. 
The abdomen is rather broader than long, and has somewhat 
the form of a trapezoid, the posterior side being the longest, and 
the anterior side much the shortest; it is provided with six 
strong, pointed, rugged, hairy, glossy, blue-black spines, each 
having a reddish-yellow streak on the under side extending from 
the base nearly half its length ; two of the spines are situated at 
its posterior extremity, and two on each side of the carapace ; 
the two anterior spines, which are the smallest and conical, are 
directed outwards and slightly upwards; the two intermediate 
ones, which are the largest, and nearly cylindrical, except at the 
point, are directed obliquely outwards and upwards; and the 
two posterior ones are conical and extended horizontally; the 
carapace is firm, glossy, and of a deep reddish-yellow colour ; 
ten oval depressions, forming dark brown spots tinged with red, 
constitute a curved row near the lateral and frontal margins, 
the two lateral ones being the largest, and the two intermediate 
ones the smallest ; four similar spots, but smaller and rounder, 
are situated in the middle, and almost describe a square, the 
two posterior ones being rather the widest apart ; between the 
two largest spines there are ten depressions; the six mterme- 
diate ones form a slightly curved row whose convexity is directed 
forwards, and the two intermediate ones of the six are very mi- 
nute and little conspicuous; the base of each posterior spine 
and the space between them have a deep reddish-yellow hue ; 
the under part is very convex, greatly corrugated, marked with 
numerous depressions, and is of a dark brown colour spotted 
with deep reddish yellow ; the spinners are encircled by a very 
prominent rim, and have a dark brown hue, and the sexual 
organs have a small, prominent, depressed, yellowish-brown 
process directed backwards from their posterior margin. The 
cephalothorax is somewhat quadrate, the sides being slightly 
rounded; the anterior part is abruptly elevated throughout its 
entire breadth, granulated, glossy, thinly clothed with whitish 
hairs, and has a longitudinal furrow in the middle; and the 
posterior part is depressed, with a large indentation in the me- 
dial line, and a smaller one on each side of it ; it is of a brownish- 
black colour, the middle of the posterior part having a yellow- 
brown hue. The eyes are small, and situated immediately above 
the frontal margin ; the four intermediate ones, which are seated 
on a protuberance, nearly form a square, the two anterior ones 
being larger and rather nearer to each other than the posterior 
