Spiders from the Bahama Islands. 331 
Gasteracantha Kochii, A. G. Butler. (PI. VII. fig. 10.) 
Gasteracantha Kochi, Butler, Typein Coll.B.M. Hab. Para. Nom. 
nov. for heaacantha, C. K., Trans. Ent. Soe. Lond. 1873, p. 169. 
no. 66. 
This is obviously identical with G. hevacantha, C. K. (non 
hexacantha, Fabr.). 
There are many examples of this form from various parts 
of America in the Museum collection. In the Keyserling 
collection from Taguava, Mexico, Bogota, and Rio Grande do 
Sul. Also from Upper Surinam, San José (Costa Rica), 
Ecuador (Rosenberg). Colombia, Lower Amazons, Pari, 
collected by the author ; I have taken it also in the forest near 
Santarem. 
It may be recognized by the shape of the abdomen being 
rectangular, much broader than long ; the anterior and lateral 
(or median) spines are very short and of equal length, the 
posterior spines larger. 
The examples from Ecuador are very stout and convex 
below, others from other regions are much more compressed. 
They vary also very much in coloration, These great differ- 
ences, however, in examples of the same species will be quite 
familiar to those who have ever collected a large series of an 
species of the genus in their natural habitat. I have often 
myself, in picking them with the fingers out of their webs, 
felt some of them nearly flat and others quite convex, and been 
surprised that they were not different species. 
Gasteracantha insulana, Thor. 
Gasteracantha insulana, Thor.—Galapagos Islands, 
If the example from this locality in the British Museum 
collection be rightly identified, this form is probably identical 
with Aochi?, Butler, but one cannot be sure without a larger 
series of specimens. 
It is possible that G. sexserrata (Wlk.), Ins. Apt. ii. p. 157 
1 : Je ? 
Cayenne; G. guingue-serrata (WIk.), ii. p. 157, Guyana; 
G. triserrata (WI]k.), ii. p. 158; and G@. Servillii (WIk.), ii. 
p- 159, Brazil, are all G. Kochdi, Butler; and if so, the last 
name will go as a synonym of sexserrata, Possibly G. mam- 
mosa, C. K., xi. p. 57, Brazil, is caneryformis, Linn. ; but 
what G. lata (WIk.), il, p. 165, from Guadaloupe, may be 
is very doubtful. 
