captured in Rio Janeiro. 431 



posterior than at the anterior extremity, sparingly clothed with 

 short hairs, convex above, and projects over the base of the 

 cephalothorax : it is of a dull yellow colour, with numerous 

 white spots on the upper part, forming broad oblique bars on 

 each side of the medial line; above the spinners there are three 

 black spots, the intermediate one being much the largest ; and 

 a minute white spot occurs on each side of the under part, near 

 its posterior extremity ; the sexual organs are rather prominent, 

 and of a brownish-yellow colour, tinged with red-brown. 



Epeira elegans. 



Length of the female f ths of an inch ; length of the cephalo- 

 thorax ^ ; breadth J ; breadth of the abdomen ^ ; length of an 

 anterior leg /^ ; length of a leg of the third pair |. 



The eyes are seated on black spots on the anterior part of the 

 cephalothorax ; the four intermediate ones are placed on a pro- 

 minence, and nearly form a square, the two anterior ones, which 

 are rather wider apart than the posterior ones, being the largest 

 of the eight ; the eyes of each lateral pair are seated obliquely 

 on a tubercle, and are near to each other, but not in contact. 

 The cephalothorax is compressed before, rounded on the sides, 

 somewhat pointed in front, moderately convex, with a large in-^ 

 dentation in the medial line; it is clothed with short hoary 

 hairs, and of a reddish -yellow colour, with a broad longitudinal 

 brown band on each side, and a narrower one of the same hue, 

 which extends from the eyes to the medial indentation. The 

 falces are powerful, conical, vertical, armed with teeth on the inner 

 surface, and of a reddish-yellow colour. The maxillse are short, 

 straight, and enlarged at the extremity ; the lip is semicircular, 

 but somewhat pointed at the apex ; and the sternum is heart- 

 shaped, with small eminences on the sides, opposite to the legs. 

 These parts have a dark brown hue, the maxillae and lip having 

 a yellowish-brown tint at the extremity. The legs are long, 

 robust, provided with hairs and spines, and of a yellowish-red 

 colour, the extremity of the joints being the darkest ; the first 

 pair is the longest, then the second, and the third pair is the 

 shortest ; the tarsi are terminated by claws of the usual number 

 and structure. The palpi have a yellowish hue, tinged with red, 

 and have a curved pectinated claw at their extremity. The 

 abdomen is oviform, clothed with hairs, convex above, and 

 projects over the base of the cephalothorax; the upper part 

 is of a dull yellow colour, reticulated with fine pale brown 

 lines ; a brown streak in front, whose posterior extremity is 

 pointed, is succeeded by a large leaf-like band, with sinuous 

 margins, that tapers to the spinners; the anterior part of the 

 band, which has a brown hue, and is freckled and spotted with 



