32 SECOND YARKAND MISSION. 



Family THERID ID ES. 



Genua-EPISINUS, Walck. 



32. EPISINUS ALGIRICUS. 



Episinus algiricus, Luc., Explor. en Alge'rie, Araclin. p. 269, pi. 17, fig. 11. 



This spider is exceedingly closely allied to Episinus truncatus, "\Talck., and I have but 

 little doubt that the examples contained in Dr. Stoliezka's collection are of the same species 

 as that described by Lucas in his great work on the spiders of Algeria. Be this as it may, 

 however, these examples are decidedly distinct from, though very closely allied to, European 

 examples of Episinus truncatus found in England. Among other distinctions, may be 

 specially noted, the generally more yellow-brown hue of the present spider, and the far less 

 distinct, though generally similar, pattern on the ccphalothorax and abdomen ; also the 

 absence of a short, but distinct, yellow, longitudinal line running backwards from between 

 the hind-central pair of eyes to the occiput ; this line is distinctly visible in all the numerous 

 British examples before me, but no trace of it exists in the present spider. The legs are 

 pale yellowish, only faintly annulated with brown ; and some distinct white spots forming a 

 horse-shoe (the open side in front) round the lower extremity of the abdomen close to the 

 base of the spinners, are larger and more conspicuous, especially the foremost of them ; 

 the corners also of the upper side of the hinder extremity of the abdomen are more conically 

 gibbous, and an unfailing specific difference is presented in the different form of the genital 

 aperture ; this is a small, simple, nearly round, dark-coloured opening in the present spider ; 

 while in E. truncatus it is by no means so simple, and covers a much larger oblong area. In 

 the latter species, the under side of the abdomen is dark, with, almost always, three longi- 

 tudinal paralled white lines ; while in the present spider it is pale and almost uniformly 

 covered with white cretaceous spots. 



M. Eugene Simon, indeed (Aran. nouv. ou pen connus du midi de I' Europe, Mem. Liege, 

 1875), concludes Episinus algiricus, Luc., to be identical with E. truncatus, Walck. ; but he 

 gives no proof of this, beyond the fact that he has taken numbers of E. truncatus in Morocco, 

 Spain, and Corsica. M. Lucas, however, appears to have had no doubt of tbe distinctness of 

 the spider he describes as E. algiricus. 



Hob- Murree, June llth to July 14th, 1877. 



Genus THERIDION, Walck. 



33. THERLUION RIPARIUM. 



Theridion riparium, Blackw., Spiel. Great Brit, and Irel., p. 182, pi. xii, fig. 115. 



An adult female of this spider, which, although in very bad condition, appeared to be 

 indistinguishable from European examples, was found in Dr. Stoliezka's collection. 

 .Hoi. Murree, June llth to July 14th, 1873. 



34. THERIDION LEPIDUM, sp. n. 



Adult female : length very nearly 2 lines. 



The whole of the fore part of this pretty spider is brownish -yellow. The cephalu thorax 



