1880.] OF THE GENUS ARGYRODES. 333 



webs of the larger Epeirids. This is, to my mind, the most delicately- 

 beautiful of all the hitherto known species of this pretty and curious 

 genus. 



Argyrodes nasuta, sp. n. (Plate XXIX. fig. 11.) 



Adult male, length 1| line. 



The ceplialothonuv of this Spider is yellow-brown, the normal 

 grooves and indentations being of a deeper hue. The fore extremity 

 of the lower surface of the caput is produced forwards, in a horizontal 

 direction, into a long, strong projection, enlarged or somewhat spoon- 

 shaped at its extremity, which is furnished with prominent liairs; 

 the length of this projection, which is rather paler in colour than the 

 cephalothorax, about equals the length of the caput. 



The eyes are in the usual position ; but the ocular area, thou"'h 

 a little projecting, is not i-aised above the ordinary level. The profile 

 of the upperside of the caput and tliorax, excepting a small im- 

 pression at the thoracic junction, forms a nearly sj.raight, though 

 slightly ascending line. 



The legs are very slender, furnished only with short fine hairs ; 

 those of the first pair are mucli the longest, being about, or nearly, 

 four times the length of the Spider ; those of the second pair are 

 rather longer than the fourth ; and the third pair are the shortest. 

 The legs are of a dull yellowish brown colour, paler than the 

 cephalothorax. 



The jialpi are short, similar in colour to the legs, excepting the 

 digital joints, which are of very large size and of a shining nearly 

 black hue. The palpal organs are not complex, but very compact. 

 The radial and cubital joints are both short, the former being the 

 strongest. 



The falces are long and moderately strong; they project a little 

 forwards, and, with the maxillae and labium, which are of normal 

 form, are similar in colour to the cephalothorax. 



The sternum is of the usual triangular shape, and is of a deep 

 black-brown colour. 



The abdomen has its hinder extremity gi'eatly produced in a some- 

 what cyliudric form, ending in an obtuse somewhat rounded form. 

 Its colour is blackish brown, paler on the sides ; it is marked on the 

 upper part and sides with narrow white stripes, formino- on the 

 upperside a large, nearly diamond-shaped figure, and some oblique 

 lines on the sides of the posterior half. The spinners occupy an 

 angular position just halfway between the fore and hinder extremity 

 of the abdomen. 



Two examples of this curious Spider were contained in a col- 

 lection received from Ceylon, from Mr. G. H. K. Thwaites, several 

 years ago. In the form of the fore extremity of the lower surface of 

 the caput we have the tendency to development in that part of the 

 structure of this genus carried to the most extreme hmit as vet 

 known. 



