Mr. R. I. Pocock on the Genus Poecilotheria. 85 



and since the British Museum has examples of all the known 

 species of this genus, I hasten to describe these three imw 

 forms, together with one from Ceylon, and to give a brief 

 recapitulation of the history of the genus and of the habits 

 of the species, so that those willing to avail themselves of the 

 opportunity of collecting material of this group may know 

 where to search for specimens and may learn what has been 

 ascertained up to the present time of the species. It is hoped, 

 too, that they may be able to determine the specimens they 

 procure, and, particularly, may be brought to realize that 

 in all probability many more specific representatives of this 

 genus exist than have hitherto been discovered, so that the 

 trouble of collecting even in localities where these spiders 

 have already been found will be well repaid by results. 



Apart from the chance that it offers of bringing new species 

 to light, the acquisition of fresh material will teach us a great 

 deal about such matters as the variations to which these 

 spiders are subject as they pass from the young to the adult 

 condition, and of the differences tliat obtain between the two 

 sexes both before and after maturity. 



For example, out of the four species that are here recorded 

 from S. India, we only know the two sexes in one instance, 

 that is to say, in the case of P. regalis. Of the others, 

 P. vittata is represented in the British Museum collection by 

 a single male, P. metallica by a single female, and P.formosa 

 by several females but no male. Again, the alleged Pinang 

 species P. striata is also only known from the female sex. 

 This is true as well of the Ceylon species P. ornata, althougli 

 fortunately in the case of the remaining two species from this 

 island, namely P. fasciata and P. suhfusca, we possess 

 examples of both sexes. Arid since, owing to the great 

 sexual differences that spiders present, our knowledge of a 

 species is very incomplete until both male and female have 

 been captured, it is clear that much still remains to be accom- 

 plished in the case of more than half the species that have 

 been established. 



Judging of the species of Poecilotheria of which the males 

 and females are known, it may be asserted with regard to 

 specimens of the former sex that they resemble the females 

 in the coloration of the lower surface of the body and limbs, 

 but that the upper surface is much more uniformly tinted, the 



Mr. Carter, -who, upon learning that the National Collection was in want 

 of these spiders, kindly wrote to his friends in S. India and used his 

 influence to such f^ood purpose t'lat I am now able to add three fresh 

 species of this genus to the faunistic lists of India. 



