80 Mr. J. Blackwall on new species of 
satisfying myself; but it is evidently distinct from Epéira affnis, 
many varieties of which were included in the Canadian spiders 
collected by Professor Potter. 
24, Epétra approximata. 
Length of the female ;%,ths of an inch ; length of the cephalo- 
thorax 7% ; breadth 44; breadth of the abdomen 7 ; length of 
an anterior leg ,% ; length of a leg of the third pair 5%. 
Cephalo-thorax large, compressed before, truncated in front, 
moderately convex, glossy, with furrows on the sides diverging 
towards the lateral margins, and a large indentation in the me- 
dial line of the posterior region ; its colour is dull yellow, the an- 
terior part, which is sparingly covered with hoary hairs, being 
tinged with red. Eyes disposed in two transverse rows on the 
anterior part of the cephalo-thorax; the four intermediate ones 
are seated on a prominence and form a square nearly, the eyes of 
the anterior pair, which are the largest of the eight, being rather 
more distant from each other than those of the posterior pair ; 
the eyes of each lateral pair are placed obliquely on a tubercle, 
but are not contiguous. Mandibles powerful, conical, vertical, 
and armed with two rows of teeth on the inner surface; their 
colour is pale red-brown, the fang being dark reddish brown. 
Maxille short, strong, enlarged and rounded at the extremity: 
lip semicircular and slightly pointed: sternum heart-shaped, 
with eminences on the margins opposite to the articulation of 
the legs: these parts are dark red-brown, with the exception of 
the extremities of the maxillz and lip, which are yellowish brown. 
Legs robust, provided with hairs and spines ; first pair the long- 
est, then the second, third pair the shortest ; they are of a dull 
yellow colour, with red-brown annuli at the joints, the tarsi being 
reddish brown. The palpi are dull yellow, except the extremity 
of the digital joint, which is reddish brown. Abdomen oviform, 
thinly clad with hoary hairs, convex above, projecting greatly 
over the base of the cephalo-thorax ; the upper part is yellow, 
with four very conspicuous, sunken, brown spots forming a tra- 
pezoid whose narrowest side is before; posterior part and sides 
faintly tmged with brown; middle of the under part brownish 
black, with a curved, yellow line on each side, whose extremity 
does not extend to the spmners. Connected with the superior 
margin of the sexual organs is a long, striated, prominent mem- 
branous process, curved downwards at its base and recurved at 
its extremity. Spinners and plates of the spiracles dark brown. 
In immature individuals of this species, which is nearly allied 
to Epétra vulpecula (see Baron Walckenaer’s Hist. Nat. des Insect. 
Apt. t. 2. p. 69), the faint outline of a festooned band may be 
