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



Genus Epeira (Walck.). 

 Epeira herii, Halm, Die Arachn. i. p. 8, pi. 2. fig. 5. 



Adults and immature examples of both sexes of this Spider were 

 found among grass and herbage on the plains of the Jordan. 



Epeira inconveniens, sp. nov. 



Female adult, length 3 lines. 



This Spider, which is nearly allied to E. similis, Bl., may at 

 once be distinguished by the form of the epigvne (or process con- 

 nected with the genital opening); this, in the present species, is broad 

 and strong, and rather long, tapering towards its extremity, and 

 running backwards in close adhesion to the abdominal surface. 



The cephalothorax is yellow, strongly margined with black ; the 

 caput is slightly suffused with dusky blackish brown, especially at its 

 junction with the thorax. The legs are yellow, barred on their 

 undersides with black-brown ; and their relative length is 1, 2, 4, 3. 

 The sternumis yellow, with black-brown margins, the junctional line 

 of the two colours sharply aud strongly dentated. 



The abdomen is of a short oval form, and deep ; but its upper sur- 

 face is rather flat, and it projects over the base of the cephalothorax ; 

 its general ground-colour is yellow, mixed and spotted minutely with 

 brown ; an oval area comprising nearly the whole of the upper 

 surface is bounded by a strong and obtusely dentate black line or 

 bar ; within this area is abroad, longitudinal central band of a clearer 

 yellow than the rest of the surface, and, tapering backwards, is ob- 

 scurely dentated on its margins ; this band is longitudinally bisected 

 by a faint brown line which runs to the spinners, and is crossed at 

 right angles towards its fore part by a similar line ; some finer lines 

 of the same nature and colour branch out laterally from the above- 

 mentioned line towards its hinder part ; the sides have a reddish and 

 yellow mottled appearance, and are marked by oblique lines of black 

 elongate spots or short dashes ; the spinners are surrounded near 

 their base (on the abdomen) by alternate yellow and black-brown 

 blotches ; and the underside of the abdomen has its surface, in a 

 large somewhat quadrate form, thickly mottled with brightish yellow ; 

 and there is a short transverse black bar close in front of the extre- 

 mity of the epigyne. 



An adult and immature examples of this Spider were found on 

 low-growing plants at Beirut. 



Epeira neta, sp. nov. 



Male adult, length 1 line ; female adult, length 1| line. 



This very pretty and distinct little species belongs to the group 

 which includes E. herii (Hahn), E. trifasciata (Koch), and E. 

 calva (Bl.). The cephalothorax of the male is of a dull reddish- 

 orange colour margined with black ; and the caput is distinctly suf- 

 fused with brownish black. The legs are similar to the cephalo- 

 thorax in colour, and are banded near the joints with black-brown ; 



