1872.] SPIDERS OF PALESTINE AND SYRIA. 311 



Philodromus medius, sp. 110V. 



Male adult, length 1| line. 



In form, colour, and structure this species is closely allied to P. 

 aureolus (Walck.) and P. cespiticolis {id.) ; but it is much smaller 

 and generally paler in hue, and the cephalothorax has a conspicuous 

 white patch (or rather double patch) at the hinder part of the caput. 



The abdomen is truncate before, and less broad there than behind ; 

 the pattern on the upperside is similar ; but it appears to be covered 

 with punctures, and hence has a somewhat more mottled or spotted 

 appearance than the species named ; there are four red-brown de- 

 pressed spots about the centre of the upperside, almost in a square ; 

 and on each side at the widest part behind is a rather conspicuous, 

 though not large, deep-black-brown irregular spot, and some deeper- 

 red-brown and white mottlings at the extremity of the abdomen on 

 either side just above the line of the spinners ; these spots and 

 markings give a character very observable in all the examples met 

 with ; the underside of the abdomen is of a uniform, dull, but some- 

 what satiny white colour ; and the rest of the Spider is yellowish. 



The palpi have the radial shorter than the cubital joint ; and the 

 former has a very small poiuted apophysis at its outer extremity, 

 the point of the apophysis being in contact with a very slight pro- 

 minent point at the base of the digital joint ; the cubital joint has a 

 single prominent black bristle on its upperside, while on the radial 

 are two longer and stronger ones ; the digital joint is rather narrow- 

 oval in form, and not large : the palpal organs are neither highly 

 developed nor complex ; they are, in fact, very simple in structure, 

 and present no marked tangible character. Some few examples were 

 much darker than others, and thus in appearance were more similar 

 to P. aureolus. The legs and/alces, especially the latter, are thinly 

 speckled with small deep-brown spots. The female is larger than 

 the male, but does not differ, except in the greater obscurity of the 

 colours and markings, one or two examples having the abdomen of 

 an entirely unicolorous ashy white hue, faintly powdered or dusted 

 with dark specks. 



This pretty species is very active, and was found on the plains of 

 the Jordan, at Nazareth, Cana-el-Jelil, Carmel, and Beirut, running 

 on the ground, as well as on low shrubs and plants. 



Genus Sparassus (Walck.). 



Sparassxjs walckenaerius, Savigny, Egypte, Arachn. p. 159, 

 pi. 6. fig. 1. 



Immature examples of both sexes of this fine large Spider were 

 found frequently under stones in various localities. It was also fre- 

 quent in Egypt in 1 864, and would occasionally be found on board 

 the Nile boat (Dahabeah), where it was very useful in catching 

 the Cockroaches with which the boat swarmed in some parts ; but 

 neither in Palestine nor in Egypt could I obtain an adult example 

 of either sex. 



