20 Mr. R. H. Meade on a new Species of Spider. 



III. — Description of a new Species of Spider lately discovered in 

 England. By R. H. Meade, F.R.C.S. 



Tribe Octonoculina. 



Family EPEIRIDiE. Genus Ei eira. 



Epeira bella. 



E. flavo-castanea, cephalothoracis marginibus et vitta centrali V-figu- 

 rata rubris ; pedibus rubro-annulatis ; abdomine rubro et brunneo 

 marmorato, dorso flavescente, et setarum 8 vel 10 nigrarum ordine 

 basi posito. 



Long. \ uncise c? et $ . 



Cephalothorax narrow, compressed and elevated at its anterior 

 part. Colour yellowish chestnut, the lateral margins being 

 surrounded by an irregular band of a brownish-red colour; a 

 V-shaped red mark is also seated on the middle and anterior 

 part, extending backwards from a short distance behind the eyes, 

 where its colour is paler, for about two-thirds of the length of the 

 cephalothorax, where its apex terminates in a dark point. Two 

 rather indistinct brown spots are seated one on each side of the 

 median line, towards the anterior part of the dorsal mark. Eyes 

 black and projecting, being seated upon tubercles and placed 

 near together ; the four intermediate ones form a square, and 

 the lateral ones on each side are contiguous. The eyes in the 

 antero-inferior row are nearly in a straight line; those in the 

 posterior row form the segment of a circle, the concavity of 

 which is forwards. Falces yellowish brown, each armed on its 

 inner side with two rows of small teeth, which, as well as the 

 fangs, are of a dark reddish-brown colour. Maxillse, labium, 

 and sternum dark brown, the last having three elevations upon 

 each side, corresponding to the points of insertion of the hrst 

 three pairs of legs. Palpi and legs luteous, annulated with rosy- 

 red marks and bands. The legs are short and rather feeble, the 

 first pair the longest, then the second, and the tliird pair the 

 shortest. Abdomen oval, projecting considerably over the base 

 of the cephalothorax; the colour of the upper surface is a 

 clear brownish yellow, the sides and posterior part being thickly 

 spotted and marbled over with red and brown marks, giving 

 them a prettily mottled dark-red colour. A series of five or six 

 transverse, obtusely angular dark lines extends down the middle 

 of the posterior half of the dorsum, towards the apex ; and in 

 front of these are four deeply-impressed brown spots, placed 

 nearly in a square, and situated about one-third from the ante- 

 rior extremity of the abdomen. In young specimens the central 

 parts of the transverse lines are generally deficient, two longitu- 

 dinal rows of dark spots only existing, the intervals between 



