660 Mr. Blackwall's Descriptions of new Species oj" Spiders. 



green. First pair of legs the longest, then the second, third pair the 

 shortest. The palpi have a slightly curved claw at the extremity. Ab- 

 domen thinly covered with hairs, glossy, very convex above, projecting 

 over the base of the cephalo-thorax ; a broad, dentated, dark brown band, 

 bordered with yellowish white, occupies the medial line of the upper part ; 

 sides dark brown, with a large, irregular, yellowish white band ex- 

 tending along each, and uniting above the spinners ; underside, and 

 plates of the spiracles dark brown, the latter having a tinge of red. The 

 sexual organs have two large, external orifices, and a small, oval process 

 connected with their inferior margin. 



The male bears little resemblance to the female. He is rather smaller, 

 and the mandibles, which are very powerful, have a small, obtuse pro- 

 minence at the base, numerous minute tubercles in front and on the 

 outer side, and are armed witli a large tooth, and several small ones 

 on the inner surface. Maxillœ inclined towards the lip. Legs yel- 

 lowish red, the haunches and thighs being the reddest. Fourth joint 

 of the palpi stronger than the third ; it is somewhat produced at its 

 extremity, in front, and has some fine, long bristles on the outer side ; 

 fifth joint of an elongated oval form, convex and hairy externally, con- 

 cave within, comprising the palpal organs, which are liighly developed, 

 complicated in structure, with a pointed, corneous process, directed ob- 

 liquely downwards and outwards, and a spiral spine, enveloped in mem- 

 brane, at their extremity; they are of a dark reddish brown colour. 

 Abdomen nearly cylindrical, projecting a little over the base of the 

 cephalo-thorax ; it is thinly covered with hairs, glossy, and dark brown, 

 with an irregular white spot on each side of the anterior part, on the 

 upper side, near tlie cephalo-thorax. 



Lini/phia sylvatica pairs in May and June. It is common in Denbighshii-e 

 and Caernarvonshire, constructing its web among grass and plants growing 

 in and near woods. In the summer of 1838, I received specimens of this spe- 

 cies from Miss Ellen Clayton, who captured them in the north of Lancashire. 

 The male closely resembles the male of Lim/phiafuliginea, but may be distin- 

 guished from it by its superior size, and by the structure of its palpal organs. 

 Compare Linyphia pratensis, Wider, Mus. Senkenb. p. 258. t. IJ. f. B. 



