238 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 



been reported from Chingleput by Jambunathan, but I have 

 not met with it as yet. 



44. Cyrtophora sp. 



I have also a very small Cyrtophora about 4 mm. long, 

 the only one I have seen on the hills. Both sexes are very 

 similar in size, shape, and colour, abdomen blackish with 

 small white dots at sides ; but unfortunately the two males 

 obtained are immature, thus rendering identification im- 

 possible. Both <J and $ make the same type of web as 

 C. cicatrosa, but the g web is less perfect. Spider rests 

 under the top sheet of the web inverted as in the case of 

 C. cicatrosa. No cocoons got. 



Locality. Carolina Estate, Coonoor, Nilgiris (April). 



CYCLOSA (Menge), 1866. 



{Kpeira trituberculata (Lucas) 

 JEpeira anseripes (Walck.) 

 Cyclosa propinqua (Sim.) 



is the commonest form both on the hills and on the plains. 

 It is most variable in colour and in shape also. As regards 

 the web, Simon (i. p. 782) remarks that the stabilimentum 

 varies according to the species and that C. insulana and 

 nearly related forms have the white lines arranged like that 

 of C. conica (Pallas) as a band interrupted at the centre, 

 while C. bifida (Do\.) has the stabilimentum in the form of 

 several very irregular concentric circles, or more correctly 

 ellipses. 



At Kotagiri, on the Nilgiris, Cyclosa; are very common, 

 and I carefully collected from the webs, noting specially the 

 form of the white stabilimentum. I find that the shape is 

 not by any means constant for the species. C. insulana has 

 most often the stabilimentum as a diameter, but also as 

 elliptical lines, as a radius, a very small irregular white mass 

 at the centre of the orb-web, or again no stabilimentum of 

 any kind. 



Though this species is by far the most common, I have no 

 record of its cocoons. 



Locality. Madias city, Madias Beach, Pallavaram ; 

 Kotagiri and Coonoor, Nilgiris ; Dolosbage, Ceylon. 



46. Cyclosa bifida (Dol.). 



I have several long, slender, almost entirely black speci- 

 mens which are either this species or a closely allied one. 



