454 Mr. J. Blackwall on new Species of Spiders 



a large quadrilateral figure, formed by the four exterior ones, 

 whose anterior side is the longest, includes a small trapezoid 

 described by the four intermediate ones; the posterior eyes of 

 the trapezoid are the widest apart and the largest of the eight, 

 and the anterior ones, each of which is seated on a small tuber- 

 cle, form with the anterior eyes of the quadrilateral figure a 

 transverse row in front. The cephalothorax is large, very con- 

 vex in the cephalic region, depressed behind, clothed with 

 brownish-yellow hairs, and of a red-brown colour, the lateral 

 margins being the palest. The falces are short, powerful, cu- 

 neiform, vertical, densely covered with reddish-yellow hairs at 

 the base, in front, and of a red-brown colour, the extremity 

 being much the darkest. The maxillse are straight, enlarged at 

 the extremity, which is rounded on the outer side and somewhat 

 produced on the inner side ; the lip is triangular, and the ster- 

 num is oval. These parts have a pale red-brown hue. The legs 

 are moderately long, robust, clothed with hairs, and are of a 

 yellowish-brown colour, the under part of the femora and tibiae 

 of the first and second pairs having a dark-bi-ovvn hue ; the first 

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

 shortest; each tarsus is terminated by three claws; the two 

 supei'ior ones are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is 

 inflected near its base, where there are several minute teeth; 

 the metatarsus of each posterior leg is provided with a calamis- 

 trum. The palpi, which are short, resemble the legs in colour, 

 and have a curved, pectinated claw at their extremity. The 

 abdomen is oviform, convex above, projecting over the base of 

 the cephalothorax ; it is clothed with brownish-yellow hairs, and 

 is of a yellowish-brown colour, the under part being much the 

 brownest ; four dark-brown depressions, connected by a sinuous 

 line of the same hue, extend along each side of the medial hne 

 of the upper part : the sexual organs are moderately developed, 

 and of a red-brown colour ; the spinners are eight in number ; 

 those of the inferior pair, which are the shortest, consist of a 

 single joint each, and are united throughout their entire 

 length. 



An adult and an immature female of Eresus africanus were 

 included in the collection. This species is provided with eight 

 spinners and calamistra; and I am informed by the Rev. O. P. 

 Cambridge that Dr. Ludwig Koch, of Niiraberg, has observed 

 that some other species of the genus are similarly organized. 

 Should all of them be found to be provided with these parts, 

 the entire genus should be comprised in the family CiniflonidcE ; 

 but if they are possessed only by a portion of the species, a new 

 genus, founded on such species, should be transferred to that 

 family. 



