230 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON THE [Feb. 20, 



The abdomen is of a pale yellow colour, furnished with bristly 

 hairs above, many of which are closely grouped, long, and recurved 

 at the fore extremity ; a long, wedge-shaped, brownish yellow mark- 

 ing occupies the longitudinal centre of the fore half; the anterior 

 portion of this marking has a glossy appearance, and the whole of 

 the upper surface is dotted with small dark yellowish-brown spots, 

 those occupying the median line of the hinder half being symmetrical 

 and disposed in pairs ; the inferior or outer pair of spinners are 

 large and nearly three times the length of those of the superior pair, 

 and are similar to the legs in colour. 



A single example was found beneath a stone near Ain Ata, under 

 the Lebanon range. It was confused with examples of the next 

 species (G. conspersa) by Dr. Koch in his examination; its di- 

 stinctness, however, is very decided, and I have great pleasure in 

 conferring upon it the name of that distinguished arachnologist. 



Gnaphosa conspersa, sp. nov. (Plate XV. fig. 5.) 



Male adult, length 3 lines ; female adult, 4 lines. 



This species, as may be inferred from what has just been observed, 

 is very closely allied to G. kochii, but it may be distinguished, not 

 only by the different structure of the palpi and palpal organs, but 

 also in the character of the colours and markings of the abdomen. 

 The whole Spider is of a clearer and paler yellow ; the legs are 

 longer and slenderer ; the upperside of the abdomen is whitish 

 yellow, spotted more or less thickly with small, dull, blackish spots ; 

 a long wedge-shaped, dull, blackish marking is visible in the central 

 line of the fore half of the upperside, following which are five or 

 more similarly coloured angular bars or chevrons, the ends of which 

 are confluent, and make the spaces included appear as a series of 

 strong whitish-yellow chevrons, diminishing in size as they approach 

 the spinners ; the outer inferior spinners are strong, and double the 

 length of those of the superior pair. The palpi have the cubital 

 joint strong, and of a somewhat tumid form, armed with a strong 

 spine-like black bristle, directed forwards from the fore margin on 

 the upperside ; the bristly hairs on the radial joint are not in a 

 group, as in G. kochii, but are more dispersed over the joint; the 

 apophysis at the outer extremity of the radial joint is stronger, less 

 prominent, and curved, the end being hooked, but not so sharply, 

 the hook being larger and bolder, and forming part as it were of the 

 general curve of the apophysis ; the prominence at the base on the 

 outer side of the digital joint is stronger ; and there is a small but 

 compact group or tuft of short, strong, straight, black bristles just 

 above it, and close to the point of the apophysis on the radial joint : 

 I could not detect any traces of such a tuft in G. kochii. The palpal 

 organs are well developed, prominent, and rather complex ; they differ 

 from those of G. kochii iu the absence of the fine spine which in that 

 species runs from their base over the inner side to their extremity. 

 One example differed from G. kochii in having the abdomen desti- 

 tute of all trace of markings, while another had the upperside with 

 the spots so thickly spread and confluent that little was visible ex- 



