Spiders from the Solomon Islands. 465 



A single example obtained by Mr. Woodford. 

 The locality of this species has been unknown up to the 

 present time. 



17. Actinacantha metallicay sp. n. (PI. XIX^ fig. 5.) 



Colour. Carapace, mandibles, maxilla3, labium, and sternum 

 black ; legs of first, second, and third pairs, and palpi red or 

 yellow, with black coxaj and infuscate tarsi and protarsi ; 

 legs of fourth pair black ; upperside of abdomen pale yellow, 

 with black sigilla ; the basal prominences of the spines and 

 the lower surface shining metallic blue or green ; lower side 

 not spotted ; spines of the same metallic hue. 



Form of abdomen and disposition of spines as in A. pcnta- 

 gona, Walck., but the spines longer, the length of the median 

 spine exceeding the width of the head, and the posterior 

 spine is about equal to the width of the head. 



Measurements in millimetres. — Total length (excluding 

 mandibles and posterior spines) 10 ; length of abdomen 

 along middle line 7*2, including posterior spine 10, width 

 behind base of anterior spine 9'3, from tip to tip of median 

 spines 16; width of head 32; approximate length of median 

 spine 4. 



Log. Probably Shortlaud Island ( G. M. Woodford) . 



Resembling A. scintillans and A. regalis, Butler, the latter 

 from the New Hebrides, in shape of body, disposition and 

 approximately in length of spines, as also in the metallic tint 

 and absence of spots from the lower side of the abdomen ; 

 but in the former two species the anterior three pairs of legs 

 and the palpi are entirely black, not red as in metalUca. 



Genus Gasteracantha, Sund. 



18. Gasteracantha signifer, sp. n. (PI. XIX. fig. 6.) 



Colour. Carapace, sternum, maxillae, legs, palpi, and 

 mandibles entirely black, polished ; abdomen a rich yellow 

 above, the sigilla black, a large black central patch usually 

 involving the ten central sigilla, but sometimes not extending 

 forwards to the anterior six sigilla ; the lower surface black 

 in the middle below and behind nearly up to the posterior 

 spines, sometimes without spots, sometimes with two behind 

 the mamillae, and sometimes with a second pair at the sides 

 of the tubercle ; sides of the lower surface yellow, with a 

 yellow stripe running inwards over the black towards the 

 middle line. 



Abdomen variable in shape, its length along the middle 



