some obscure British Spiders. 71 



Sim., Hitaira, Sim., and Tmeticus, Menge, Sim., run very 

 close together. 



The whole family Therididse is still, as it were, a super- 

 saturated solution of species, into which M. Simon, Mr. Emer- 

 ton, and other arachnologists have flung their crystals, and 

 around these are gradually gathering, like to his like, the 

 better disposed species who will condescend to recognize a 

 brother amid the motley heterogeneous assemblage. As to 

 the others, we must be content for the present to leave them still 

 in solution until a further boiling down shall concentrate the 

 residue and render it possible to gather together its wayward 

 atoms into something like decent scientific order. 



Genera. 



A. Anterior row of eyes very strongly curved, 



its convexity directed forwards. 



i. Legs not furnished with spines. Clypeus 

 very low, slightly wider than the cen- 

 tral anterior eyes. Central anteriors 

 larger than the laterals Tapinopa, Westr. 



ii. Legs very spinose. Clypeus very high, 

 equalling the width of the ocular area. 

 Central anteriors smaller than the late- 

 rals , Frontina, Sim. 



B. Anterior row of eyes straight or almost so. 



i. Basal joint of falces with two stout 

 spines on the inner frontal margin of 

 each Drapetisca, Menge. 



ii. Basal joint of falces without spines in 

 front. 



1*. Anterior metatarsi as long as tibiae. 



A. Eyes of posterior row widely sepa- 

 rated, their intervals always 

 greater than their diameter. 



a. Anterior tarsi very long, at least 



two thirds the length of the 



metatarsi Bolyphantes, Menge, Sim. 



b. Anterior tarsi only half the 



length of the metatarsi (except 



lineata) Linyphta, Latr. 



b. Eyes of posterior row nearer to- 

 gether, their intervals smaller than 

 their diameters. 



i. Eyes of anterior row equal in size. Me- 

 tatarsi armed with several spines .... Labnlla, Sim. 



ii. Eyes of anterior row unequal ; centrals 

 much smaller than laterals. 



