626 Mr. Blackwall's Descriptions of new Species of Spiders. 



Family Therfdiid.e. 



Genus Theridion, Jî'akk. 



13. Theridion fuscion. Saturate rufescenti-brunneum, abdomine niaculis ob- 

 scuris satiiratioribus ; oculis in seriebus 2 tmnsversis, intermediis trape- 

 zoidein anticè niulto breviorem leferentibus, seriei posteiioris omnium 

 maximis, anteriuris minimis ; pedibus robiistis, pari Imo longissimo, dein 

 4to, 3tio brevissimo; lal)io semicirculari. 



Length of the female -njth of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax 3*2 ; 

 breadth -3^ ; breadth of abdomen 2^ ; length of an anterior leg xo ; length 

 of a leg of the third pair ^o. 



This spider is of a dark reddisli brown colour, the abdomen being marked 

 with obscure spots of u deeper shade. Cephalo-thorax glossy, compressed 

 before, very convex immediately behind the eyes, depressed in the poste- 

 rior region, with a large indentation in the medial line, and furrows on 

 the sides. Eyes disposed on the fore-part of the cephalo-thorax in two 

 transverse rows ; the intermediate ones form a trapezoid whose anterior 

 side is much the shortest, and those of each lateral pair are contiguous 

 and placed obliquely ; the posterior eyes of the trapezoid are the largest, 

 and the anterior ones much the smallest of the eight. Mandibles small, 

 conical, armed with a few teeth on the inner surface, and inclined towards 

 the sternum, which is broad and heart-shaped. Maxilhe obliquely trun- 

 cated at the extremity on the outer side, and inclined towards the lip, 

 which is semicircular. Legs robust; first pair the longest, then the 

 fourth, third pair the shortest. Tarsi terminated by three claws ; the 

 two superior ones are curvetl and pectinated, and the inferior one is 

 inflected near its base. The palpi have a slender, curved claw at their 

 extremity. Abdomen subglobose, somewhat depressed, thinly covered 

 with hairs, glossy, projecting greatly over the base of the cephalo- 

 thorax. 



Females of this species were captured in November and December 1837, on 

 rails and under stones in pastures near Llanrwst. 



