1872.] SPIDERS OF PALESTINE AND SYRIA. 247 



example of each sex in a similar situation near Alexandria (Egypt) 

 in 1864. V "™ J 



Melanophora pedestris, Koch, Die Arachn. vi. p. 82, pi. 200. 

 fig. 489. 



An adult male of this species (which is not rare in Europe gene- 

 rally, and has also been found in England) was found under a stone 

 at Naih. 



Melanophora Caucasia, L. Koch, Die Arachn. Fam. der 

 Brassid. p. 141, pi. (i. fig. 87. (Plate XVI. fig. 27.) 



An adult male and female were found in company with M. pedes- 

 tris at Nain. 



Melanophora gracillima, sp. nov. (Plate XVI. fig. 28.) 



Male adult, length lg line. 



This mall but very distinct species is of the ordinary general form 

 and structure. The cephalothorax is glossy, and of a deep rich 

 black chestnut-brown colour. The eyes are rather closely grouped, 

 in two transverse, nearly straight, parallel rows ; those of the hind 

 central pair are slightly nearer to each other than each is to the hind 

 lateral on its side, while the fore centrals are further from each other 

 than each is from the fore lateral on its side, to which it is, in fact, 

 almost, if not quite, contiguous ; all the eyes, except those of the fore 

 central pair, are peaily white. The legs are strong and rather long 

 (their relative length 4, 1,2,3), especially those of the first pair; 

 their colour is yellow, the genual, tibial, and metatarsal joints of all 

 except those of the third pair being more or less suffused with black- 

 brown ; the legs are furnished with hairs and (principally on the 

 metatarsi and tibiae of the third and fourth pairs) a few spines. The 

 palpi are neither long nor very strong ; the cubital is longer than the 

 radial joint, and has a sharp-pointed red-brown apophysis from its 

 fore extremity, rather on the outer side ; the radial joint is emargi- 

 nate at its upper fore margin ; the digital joint is rather large ; and 

 the palpal organs are very prominent ; from a somewhat circular lobe 

 at their hinder part there issues, from the outer side, a black filiform 

 spine, which curves over them to the inner side, and thence round 

 the inner margin to their extremity ; the lobe from which this spine 

 issues has also a small dark corneous prominent point at its hinder 

 part. The abdomen is short, and of an oblong-oval form, broader 

 behind than before ; its colour is black, and the upper surface of 

 its fore half is almost entirely occupied by a large, somewhat oval, 

 shining coriaceous integument, of a deep rich black chestnut- 

 brown colour. The female resembles the male in colour, but is a 

 little larger, and is without the shining coriaceous patch on the 

 abdomen. 



Examples of both sexes were found under stones on the plains of 

 the Jordan. The apophysis from the cubital joint is, as far as I am 

 aware, a unique character in this genus, if not in this family. 



