1872.] SPIDERS OF PALESTINE AND SYRIA. 243 



The abdomen is small and of an oblong-oval form ; it is black, with 

 a large glossy coriaceous patch on the fore margin of a deep black- 

 brown hue, and of a somewhat subtriangular form ; the apex of this 

 patch is directed backwards and extends to very nearly one-half the 

 length of the abdomen. The spinners are black ; those of the inferior 

 pair are long and strong, those of the superior very short. 



A single example of this very distinct species was found under a 

 stone on the plains of the Jordan. 



Mei.anophora tragica, sp. nov. (Plate XVI. fig. 22.) 



Male adult, length 3 lines. 



The general form and structure of this Spider is of the ordinary 

 type ; but the cephalothorax is rather narrower before than in some 

 other species ; it is of a deep rich red-brown colour, with indistinct 

 converging veiny-looking black lines on the sides. The eyes are 

 closely grouped in the ordinary position of two nearly, or quite, 

 parallel straight lines ; the foremost line is slightly the shortest ; the 

 eyes of each line appeared to be equally separated from each other ; 

 those of the hind central pair are smaller than the laterals of the same 

 row, and of an oblong form. The legs are short and strong ; their 

 relative length 4, 1, 2, 3 ; and they are rather lighter-coloured than 

 the cephalothorax ; they are furnished with hairs and, on the tibiae 

 and metatarsi (principally the latter) of the two hinder pairs, with a 

 few spines. 



The palpi are moderate in length and strength ; the radial is 

 shorter than the cubital joint, and has its outer extremity produced 

 into a not very long apophysis ; this is broad and strong at its com- 

 mencement, but at about the middle of its length from the underside 

 it goes off abruptly into a tapering sharp-pointed form on the upper- 

 side, with a rather upward direction (the palpus must be viewed with 

 the Spider held in profile in order to see this conformation of the 

 radial joint) ; the digital joint is large, and the palpal organs well- 

 developed ; but these are not very complex, and their corneous pro- 

 cesses are closely compacted. The maxillce are transversely im- 

 pressed, curved, and inclined to the labium; these parts are similar 

 to the legs in colour, the maxillae being tipped with pale whitish 

 yellow. The sternum is of a bright reddish yellow-brown colour, 

 densely marked with exceedingly minute punctures. 



The abdomen is of an oblong-oval form and rather large, being 

 broader behind than before ; it is of a sooty-brown colour, and has a 

 large, somewhat semicircular, coriaceous patch on its lore margin, of 

 a colour similar to that of the cephalothorax, but with a strong shining 

 coppery tinge ; the underside is paler than the upper. The spinners 

 are of the ordinary character ; those of the superior pair are smaller 

 and shorter than lho*e of the inferior. 



A single example of the adult male was found under a stone on the 

 plains of the Jordan. 



Meunophora helvola, sp. nov. (Plate XVI. fig. 23.) 

 Male adult, length 1 1 line. 



