some obscure British Spiders. 79 



Falces three times as long as the height of the clypeus, 

 slightly convex and slightly divergent at the apex in the male, 

 parallel in the female ; bearing on the upper margin of the 

 fang-groove two short, sharp, conspicuous teeth and a third 

 smaller one. 



Labium with its margin reflexed (as in all the Linyphini). 



Sternum not very convex, black, granulose, and set with 

 stiff black hairs. 



Palpus of Male (fig. III. 2, 3, 4). — Cubital joint of the male 

 palpus a little longer than broad, convex above, bearing at its 

 apex a single fine bristle. 



Radial joint as broad at the apex as it is long (in a lateral 

 view), bearing a few short hairs and a single bristle at its 

 apex. 



Digital joint forming with the semi-inclosed palpal organs 

 a small globular mass. 



Palpal organs exhibiting on the outer side near the base the 

 usual chitinous falciform process (not abnormally developed 

 in this species), also a long, slender, flattened, spine-like 

 process, originating from below the base of the falciform process, 

 curving upwards, and directed in a straight line forwards, 

 terminating far beyond the apex of the main palpal organs in 

 a sharp strongly curved point, exhibiting on the lower side, 

 rather more than halfway from the base to the apex, a smally 

 sharp, barb-like spine. 



The curved apex of this process seems to be aculeate, but 

 under a strong lens it appears ensiform. 



This curious and very distinctive process is merely a highly- 

 developed form of the same process (which has been termed 

 in this paper the lateral stylum) exhibited on the palpal 

 organs of several allied species of British spiders, notably 

 L zebrina and L. tenebricola. In these two species the two 

 black points of the process, however, scarcely pass beyond the 

 main palpal organs. 



The epigyne consists of a long, dark, ovipositor-like promi- 

 nence, projecting downwards at an angle from the ventral 

 surface, bent suddenly [like the spout oj' a water-pot) near its 

 termination, and squarely truncate at the apex, its outer side 

 being clothed icith stiff dark hairs (fig. III. 1). 



This exceedingly distinct and satisfactory little spider has 

 no really close ally amongst known British species, tenebricola 

 alone approaching it in general form and structure. From 

 that species it may be distinguished at once by tlie absence of 

 all markings on the abdomen and of course by the form of the 

 palpal organs and of the epigyne. 



On the continent are found, however, several very closely 



