92 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, 



make an elaborate series of observations on the life-history of this 

 new spider. I have added to the description, which is in Mr. 

 Curtis's words a brief abstract of a few of the interesting obser- 

 vations included in the mass of notes now in my hands. — Vernon 

 L. Kellogg, Stanford University, California.] 



Theridinm inconstans n. sp. $.— Upper cephalo-thorax polished yellow 

 or nearly white, with central band of emerald or olive-green on side rims 

 of the same. The band is usually divided longitudinally into four parts 

 forward of the thoracic denture and three parts back of the same. Under 

 side like upper, with a tinge of green from the upper band. Abdon;en 

 egg-shaped, pointed at apex, polished and slightly pubescent. Upper 

 back-ground color yellow, greenish yellow or white (translucent) with a 

 central five-scalloped, opaque, granular band of white or yellow, and white 

 side bands. At the fore end of the central band is a forward-pointing 

 black "V," while between the central and side bands are three or four 

 oblique rows of three dots each, set across the space of clear back-ground. 

 Between each of these rows, called for convenience "regular," is a shorter 

 parallel row of three dots called an " inter " row. There may be six or 

 seven rows with corresponding inters; but the last rows do not have the 

 full number of dots. The first three regular rows commonly have granular 

 streaks with them called "bridges," spanning from the central to the ^ide 

 band. Abdomen underneath yellowish white and translucent, especially 

 when seen sidewise, with a black epigynum and an oblique streak of pig- 

 ment on each side near the middle of the length. Legs yellowish or 

 nearly white, translucent and slightly hairy, generally with from one to 

 seven dark bands ; these bands, however, may be entirely absent. In 

 some specimens there is a small black dot in the center of the second 

 scallop of the central band, and others have irregular black dots and 

 markings along this band. 



i^. — The male is like the female, but has a more slender abdomen, and 

 much longer legs proportionally. In addition to the genital spot he has 

 a pair of black spots on the under side of the posterior abdomen. These 

 occur sometimes on females and are often lacking on the males, but more 

 commonly belong to the latter. The cephalo-thoracic bands and rims are 

 usually olive-brown; the trophi are always red or red-brown, and the legs 

 have a brownish tinge with the same hairs and bands. 



Hab. — Oakland, Alameda County, and Olema, Mendocino 

 County, California. It is probably a Pacific coast species. 



The name inconstans was chosen by Mr. Curtis because of the 

 numerous variations in coloration exhibited by individuals of the 

 species. These variations are definite and constant, so that there 

 are included in the species eight distinct varieties besides the spe- 

 cies type. These varieties breed true to their characters, and 



