THE AFGHAN DELIMITATION COMMISSION. Ill 



Adult 6 . — Cephalothomx. Thoracic portion wide, ovate, cephalic portion narrowed, 

 its width heing ahout equal to half the width of the thoracic portion ; height of cephalic 

 portion less than its greatest width. Anterior series of eyes procurved ; the four eyes 

 ahout equally separated ; the tw o median the largest. Space between the second eyes 

 less than the diameter of each eye. Eyes of the third series smaller than those of the 

 second, and separated from them on each side by a space which is equal to the diameter 

 of one of the posterior eyes. Cephalothorax equal in length to the patella and tibia of 

 the third pair of legs ; shorter than patella and tibia of first pair of legs. Eeniora armed 

 with eight or nine spines above ; patellae armed with two spines, one in front, the other 

 behind. Chelicerae furnished distally with two or three teeth in front and three behind. 

 Tibial segment of palp simple, cylindrical ; tarsal segment proximally thicker than the 

 tibial, distally elongate and attenuate ; half as long again as the tibial segment ; bulbous 

 portion bearing two teeth — one internal, directed forwards, bifid ; the other external, 

 simple, and directed backwards. 



Measurements (in millimetres). — Total length 22 ; length of cephalothorax 13§, width 



10, width of cephalic portion 5f , height 4f ; length of chelicera 5^, width 2| ; sternum, 

 length 5|, width 4f ; length of first leg 52J, of second 51^, of third 46^, of fourth 57 ; 

 of palp 16. 



Adult $ . — Differs from the male in being more robust ; cephalic portion considerably 

 higher; legs shorter (cf. measurements). Epigyne nearly circular, covered laterally and 

 in front with hairs ; posterior border prominent, rounded ; marked with an elongate 

 depression; the side margins of this depression nearly parallel ; in front blending circu- 

 larly and without constriction ; behind terminating before reaching the posterior margin 

 of the plate in a rounded prominence. 



Measurements (in millimetres). — Total length 28 ; length of cephalothorax 16, width 



11, cephalic portion, width 7|, height 5| ; length of chelicera 7, width 3| ; sternum, 

 length 6^, width 5 ; length of first leg 47, of second 46^, of third 43£, of fourth 53|. 



The cephalothorax equal in length to the patella and tibia of first pair of legs, longer 

 than patella and tibia of third pair. 



Three specimens (one d adult, two ? , one adult, one immature) taken between 

 Tirphul and Meshed in Persia. 



In the adult specimens the white colour of the abdomen is more pronounced, so that 

 the ground-colour of this part appears to be white with darker markings. 



This species appears to be closely allied to Tarantula alticeps (Kronenberg, in Fed- 

 chenko's ' Turkestan,' Arachnida, p. 40, pi. iv. fig. 28) ; but according to the figure of 

 the last named the central eyes of the anterior series are equal to the lateral eyes of the 

 same series ; moreover the epigyne lias a different form . 



[At Kalla-i-dast-dargarri, June 8th, amongst the brick debris of the old buildings, and 

 running in and out of the clay fissures in the soil, this Spider occurred in large numbers, 

 much to the horror of the natives— the Afghans and Persians holding it in great fear, 

 as, they say, should it drop any of its excreta on the skin, the result is acute erysipelas, 

 usually ending in death. — J. E. T. A.] 



17* 



