Mr. T. II. Savory on (he Spider Lijtliistiiia. 4i!) 



/.ipJiistiiis ilt'siiltor by Scliioilte in ISVJ from a miitilatt'il 

 s|tt'ciim'n, niul perfect exampU-s wore descrihed by tbe Kt!V. (). 

 l*ickar(l-Cainbii<l<;e and by van ilasselt. Tliorell, of Upsala, 

 biter pointed out tliat Piel<ard-Canil)rid}^o and van Ilasselt 

 bad described spt'ciinens vvliicb were dilTcrent species oE tbe 

 same <^fnus, wbilo in tbe Suppb'inont to tbe ' Ilistoire Natu- 

 relle des Arraii^nues ' Eiigrne Simon removed tbe H|)ecimen 

 vvbicb be bad in iii.s fir^t volume dosciibod as Liphistius 

 desnUor into a second <;enus, wbicb lie called Anad'mstothele. 

 Tbere are tberefore these four species at present known, 

 constituting tbe family Lipbistioidre : — 



Li/'histiiis desultor, Scbiiidte (=L. 7ji'i»u7/({/(/5, Cambr.). 



xutnatranus, 'I'borell ( = Z/. desultor, v. llass.). 



birmanicns, Tborell. 



Anndiastothele thoreUij Simon. 



Tills elaboration of tbe ori<^inal species into several species 

 closely related (and tbe distinction between these four types 

 is very sli<;bt) is precisely what bas occurred in tbe liistories 

 of both Ainphioxus and Ptripatus, and does not in tbe least 

 influence their (general significance. Indeed, this separation 

 is of value in emphasizing tbe faet, already referred to, that 

 a primitive animal is not necessaiily without elaborations of 

 its own. 



In the present state of our knowledge tbe internal mor- 

 phology of Liphistius provides no evidence for its primitive 

 nature. On tbe one band, anatomists who dissect spiilers 

 are exceedingly scarce, on tbe other hand, TAphiKtiits is a 

 comparatively rare species with a limited distribution, so 

 that it is not surpri.-ing tliat the two have as yet failed to 

 meet. Still less have we a chance of researches u|)on its 

 embryological development, wbicb alone can solve several 

 qufstions with any degree of certainty ; and at present wo 

 are therefore confined to its externals. 



Tbe external features in which Lijihistius shows its primi- 

 tive nature most plainly are: — 



1. Tbe position of its spinnerettes. 



2. Tbe segmentation of its abdomen. 

 '.\. The grouping of its eyes. 



4. The sha|)e of its sternum. 



5. The lengths of its logs. 



The spinnerctfos of all other spiders are situated, as is well 

 known, at tiie extreme posterior end of the abdomen, grouped 

 more or loss closely round the anal tubercle. In Liphistius 



