new and obscure British Spiders. 391 



Genua of all four pairs witli a very long (three times the 

 diameter) obliquely erect spine at apex. Tibiai i. with two 

 dorsal and two lateral spines on either side towards apex. 

 Tibiffi ii. with two dorsal and one lateral spine towards apex. 

 Tibiae iii. and iv. with two dorsal spines only. Metatarsi 

 of all four ])airs with a single fine long (twice the diameter of 

 the joint) spine towards the base. 



Eyes large, closely grouped, seated on dark black spots. 

 Posterior row straight, eyes equal, centrals scarcely half a 

 diameter apart, a quarter of a diameter from the laterals. An- 

 terior row straight, centrals a little smaller, almost in contact, 

 scarcely one quarter a diameter from the laterals. The four 

 central eyes form a quadrangle much narrower in front and 

 longer than broad. 



Abdomen oval, rather convex above, a little pointed towards 

 the spinners ; dorsal area pale dull yellow, sides and ventral 

 surface dusky black. 



2t[ale. — Palpus. Humeral joint a little enlarged towards 

 apex. Cubital joint very small, as broad as long, rounded. 

 Radial joint narrow at base, enlarged in front and rounded ; 

 as broad as long. Both joints clothed with fine hairs ; the 

 radial joint exhibiting a single fine curving spine directed 

 forwards. 



Digital joint small, clothed with hairs. Palpal organs 

 exhibiting on the outer side at the base a concave chitinous 

 piece (falciform process), its outer margin bearing a short 

 black spur directed inwards. At the apex close to the end of 

 the chitinous sheath are two dark black spurs. The lateral 

 stylum is developed into a pair of elongate lobes, not very- 

 distinct (PI. XX. fig. 4, a, 1, 2,8). 



Female. — Rather larger than male, but similar in other 

 respects. 



Epigyne conspicuous, consisting of a short ovipositor-like 

 prominence (PI. XX. fig. 4, c), its apex exhibiting a trans- 

 verse opening ; from above presenting a semicircular form 

 (PI. XX. fig. 4, Z»). 



2his very small species is abundant amongst yrass in the 

 .summer months. It loill not be found very difficult to identify 

 {though resembling Bathyphantes circumspecta) if it be first 

 recognized as belonging to the genus Leptyphantes by the spine 

 on the metatarsi. 



The yalpal organs of the male icill furnish sure characters 

 for its recognition ; lohile the dusky abdomen^ with its pale 

 dorsal area, of the female, and the form of the epigyne loill 

 suffice for the identification of this sex. 



Apparently generally distributed throughout the country. 



