330 Mr. F. O. P. Cambridge on 



In spite of Walckenaer's decision to the contrary, it is very 

 evident tliat tlie figures in Sloane and Browne represent the 

 same species, being also from tlie same locality. The differ- 

 ence in the length of the spines, which Walckcnaer lays 

 special stress upon, is no criterion whatever, while the number 

 of sigilla between the anterior spines is the same in all members 

 of the genus. Although VValckenaer says that he compared 

 the types of the two forms described by Fabricius as cancri- 

 fornu's and hexacantha, and that they were certainly not 

 identical, yet the characters he mentions as distinguishing 

 the two are of little value. Fabricius, too, quotes Browne's 

 figure t. xliv. fig. 5 (it is misprinted in one place t. xiv.) 

 under both these species, and it is difficult to understand on 

 what grounds this author gave it another name. 



A. heaacantha^ Fabr., therefore becomes a synonym of 

 cancriformis, Linn. 



Although I have not any examples of this six-spined form 

 from Jamaica, there are many from other islands in the 

 Antilles (Haiti, Trinidad, &c.) in the British Museum collec- 

 tion, and also from Georgia and Venezuela. There are also 

 examples identified by Keyserling as vittata, Thor., which 

 are most probably a small form of cancriformis, being also 

 almost identical with another series from the Bahamas. In 

 these the anterior spines are obsolescent. The length of these 

 spines varies considerably even in the few examples from the 

 Bahamas, and we may look for many varieties of this spider 

 from different localities. It is possible that some of these 

 forms may have to be recognized as subspecies, and I cannot, 

 with only the present material at hand, be sure whether this 

 or the form Kochii is the true cancriformis^ Linn. 



In addition to the localities mentioned above, this species 

 has been recorded from Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, 

 Florida, Alabama, Arizona, and Mr. Bonhote lias taken it in 

 the Bahamas. 



Gasteracantha Canestrinii^ O. P. Cambr. (PI. VII. fig. 12.) 



Gasteracantha Canestriyiii, O. P. Cambr. P. Z. S. 1879, p. 293, pi. xxvi. 

 fig. 2. — Antigua. 



This species has but four spines, the anterior pair being 

 absent. Otherwise it is very like smaller examples of ca/2c?-«- 

 formis, especially those from the Bahamas, in which the 

 anterior si)ines are obsolescent. 



Examples in the British Museum are from Antigua 

 (^Forest) and Dominica (Dr. Nicholls). 



