244 Rev. O. P. Cambridge on new 



Genus Dkassus, Walck. 



Drassus criminalism sp. n. PI. VIII. fig. 3. 



Adult female, length very nearly 3| lines. 



The whole of the fore part of this spider is of a bright yel- 

 low-brown colour, that of the falces and labium being, how- 

 ever, rather deeper than the rest, and the cephalothorax bor- 

 dered with a fine blackish line, the abdomen being of a uni- 

 form dull mouse-coloured black. 



The cephalothorax is of ordinary form, the thoracic junction, 

 however, being (in profile) a little higher than the occipital 

 region ; the normal grooves and indentations are not strongly 

 marked, but are plainly indicated by dusky lines converging 

 to the thoracic junction ; the surface is thinly clothed with 

 hairs, some of which are rather long, particularly those on the 

 central longitudinal line and on the clypeus, where they are, 

 in fact, bristles ; the height of this latter part exceeds the 

 diameter of the fore lateral eyes. 



The eyes are of tolerable size and placed in the usual two 

 transverse rows ; the hinder row is longest and rather the most 

 curved, the convexity of the curves of both being directed 

 backwards : the eyes of the hind central pair are of a some- 

 what subtriangular shape and are almost, but not quite, con- 

 tiguous to each other, and the interval between each and the 

 hind lateral eye on its side is about equal to the diameter of 

 the latter ; those of each lateral pair are obliquely placed, the 

 interval between them being nearly equal to the diameter of 

 the hinder eye ; those of the fore central pair (which are the 

 smallest of the eight) are separated by an interval slightly 

 exceeding an eye's diameter, and each is divided from the fore 

 lateral on its side by a very slight interval, not more than 

 one third of that which separates the fore centrals from each 

 other. 



The legs are strong, but not very long ; their relative length 

 appears to be 4, 1, 2, 3, though there is but little difference, 

 if any, between those of the fourth and first pairs ; they are 

 furnished with hairs, bristles, and spines, the latter chiefly on 

 the tibiae and metatarsi of those of the third and fourth pairs ; 

 each tarsus terminates with two curved pectinated claws, be- 

 neath which is a small scopula of papilliform hairs, and be- 

 neath the tarsi are some other hairs of the same kind. 



The palpi are strong, moderately long, and furnished with 

 hairs, bristles, and spines ; the cubital and radial joints are 

 equal in length, the digital being nearly equal to both together, 

 and terminating with a small, black, curved claw. 



