Spiders from the Bahama Islands. 827 



i. lliiirsontbe lejfs tufted aiul tlio I'omonil tuft also 

 viTv distinct. 

 a. Carapace witli tiibi>rclo«. 



h. Carapact' witlmut tubercles claoipcs, Liun. 



ii. Hairs on tlie li'>rs not tufted and femoral fingers 

 almost obsoK't*'. 



a'. Carapace with tubercles cornutfi, Palhu. 



//. Carapace witliout tubercles. 



Of the males I am able so far to identify only one form 

 undoubtedly assignable to eaeh of the two species above de.siy- 

 natod as clavijies and cornula. 



Examples from various localities in the British Museum 

 collection are referable as follows : — 



The Bahuma Islands. — Examples of tbe female sex have tufted legs, 



witliout cephalic tubercles : i. b. 

 St. Domingo. — Females without tubercles and without tufted legs: 



ii. 6'. 

 Bcnni/fld. — Females witli tufted leiis and without tubercles: i. h. 

 Trinidttd. — Feuiiiles willi tufted legs and with ceplialic tubercles : i. n. 

 Venezuila. — Females with tufted legs and strong cephalic tubercles: 



i. a. 

 Camccas. — Females witli tufted legs, but tubercles almost obsolete: 



i. a. 

 Deiiwrara. — Females with tuljercles, without leg-tufts: ii. a'. 

 Penmmhuco. — Females with tubercles, with leg-tufts: i. a. 

 Amazons. — Females with tubercles, without tufted legs : ii. n'. 

 Xeic Granada. — Females with small tubercles and both forms of legs : 



i. a, ii. «'. 

 Mcvico. — Females with tufted logs and without tubercles: i. /j. 

 California. — Females with tufted legs and without tubercles: i. h. 



Neither of these two characters therefore appears to be con- 

 stant; the tufts on the legs vary in length and extent, while 

 the tubercles range from nothing upwards ; and since the males 

 of the extreme forms cannot be separated, it is highly probable 

 that all these females are varieties of one species. 



1 would therefore urge upon those who have leisure in any 

 of these islands to send home at any rate a few examples of 

 the females as well as of the males of these gigantic spiders. 

 Both sexes may be found in the proper season in the large 

 wheel-like orb-web which forms so conspicuous a feature in 

 tropical and subtropical garden.s, oj)en spaces, and forest ; but 

 the male is a minute and very different-looking spider from 

 the female. 



Gasteracantii^, iSundcvall, 1833. 



The subjoined are the more important forms of this genus 

 occurring in the Central-American and Antillesian region. 



