1877.] REV. O. p. CAMBRIDGE ON NEW ARANEIDEA. 573 



Fam. DiNOPiDEs. 



Until lately one genus alone of this group (Dinopis, Macleay) had 

 been characterized. It has always appeared to me impossible to 

 place Dinopis in any known or recognized family group ; and con- 

 sequently I have long since constituted it a family of itself, placing 

 it between the Lycosides and Salticides, rather for want of a better 

 place for it than for any really close affinity to either of them. It is 

 more probable that its ])lace will some day be found to be much 

 nearer to the Ageleuides than to either the Lycosides or Salticides. 

 Dr. Ludwig Koch, writing in 1867 (Verb. k.-k. zool.-bot. Gresell. 

 in Wien, 1867, p. 230), says that the position of Dinopis is 

 without any doubt in the family Eresides, giving as a proof the 

 position of the eyes and possession of calamistra and inframamillary 

 organ. It would seem, however, scarcely possible to place in juxta- 

 position two Spiders more unlike each other than Dinopis and Eresus, 

 whether we consider the general form, or any special point of structure 

 from which a family affinity could be deduced. The mere position 

 of the eyes is quite insufficient. Podophthnlma has an eye-position 

 very closely resembling Dinopis ; and between other widely sepa- 

 rated genera there may also be often found a similar eye-position. 

 Relying upon this ordy, Walckenaer once placed a Theraphosid 

 (^Idiops) in the genus Sphasus ; and as regards calamistra and the 

 mamillary organ, these may certainly be considered of family value 

 in some groups of genera possessing them, as in Dictyna, Amaurobius, 

 Titanceca, and Lethia ; but when we find them in such widely 

 different Spiders as Filistata, CEcobius, and Mhion, all family value, 

 at least with respect to them, vanishes. So, it appears to me, it is also 

 in regard to Dinopis, where the flattened cephalothorax, enormous 

 central pair of eyes, long and excessively slender legs, with a very 

 peculiar form of maxillse, labium, and sternum, must have far more 

 weight than the calamistra and general position of the eyes taken 

 by themselves. M. Simon has recently (Bull. Soc. Zoo), de France, 

 1876, p. 218) characterized a second genus (Menneus) unmistakably 

 allied to Dinopis, but, along with some minor characters, differing 

 remarkably in having the tarsi of the first pair of legs subdivided. 

 Menneus has also calamistra ; and so also has another Spider, allied 

 both to Dinopis and Menneus, and upon which I propose presently 

 to found a third genus of the family Dinopides. This Spider, for 

 which I propose the generic name Avella, has the flattened cepha- 

 lothorax, the long slender legs, the peculiar maxillae and labium, as 

 well as the general eye-position of Dinopis ; but the central pair of 

 eyes are but little larger than the rest. With Menneus it agrees in 

 having the tarsi of the first pair of legs subdivided, though it seems 

 to me, with respect to other generic characters, quite distinct. It 

 however possesses calamistra and an inframamillary organ (though 

 the calamistra were of rather a peculiar nature). It is therefore 

 probable that these portions of structure will here also prove a good 

 family character within the limits of the Dinopid group ; but this 

 remains to be proved. Of course the family character thus attached 



