1881.] REV. O. p. CAMBRIDGE ON NEW ARANEIDEA. 76/ 



The pa fpi of the male are rather long, and similar to the legs in 

 colour ; the cubital joint is slightlj' curved, clavate, and a little longer 

 than the radial joint, with a strongish, dark, curved, tapering bristle 

 directed forwards from its anterior extremity, and a similar one at the 

 extremity of the humeral joint. The digital joints are rather large, 

 oval, with a strong cleft lobe on the inner side, and of a yellow-brown 

 colour ; their convex sides are directed towards each other. 



The palpal organs are rather complex ; a black, filiform, closely 

 adhering spine issues from the middle of their outer or (as they stand 

 in the position in which the palpus is held) upper side, and passing 

 backwards round their margin, terminates near their fore extremity 

 on the inner, or lower, side. 



The falces, maxillae, labium, and sternum are similar in colour to 

 the cephalothorax. 



The abdomen looked at in profile is somewhat quadrate, one 

 corner (the upper one) being considerably produced, or elevated ; 

 in the male its height is distinctly less than the length of the 

 Spider, but in the female it is nearly, and sometimes quite, equal to 

 the length of the Spider. It is of a dull luteous yellowish colour 

 (possibly brighter in the living Spider), its upper and lateral sur- 

 face more or less thickly covered with scale-like plates of a brilliant 

 silvery pearly nature and of an irregular form. In some examples 

 theseplates show very little space between them ; in others there is 

 a considerable interval. The genital aperture of the female has a 

 small but characteristic and prominent process connected with it. 



Of all the Spiders I am yet acquainted with this is perhaps the 

 most delicately beautiful in the abdominal adornment, to which it 

 would be impossible for any pencil to do adequate justice. 



Eight females and one male were included in collections received 

 several years ago from Ceylon, from Mr. G. H. K. Thwaites, to whom 

 I have dedicated the new genus considered necessary for the recep- 

 tion of this pretty Spider. 



Gen. nov. Ekiauchenus. 



Caput elevated, with a long neck, carrying with it not only the 

 eyes but the falces also, which are abnormally produced so as to 

 meet the maxillae. 



Ei/es unequal in size, in four pairs ; two pairs on each side of the 

 caput, near the insertion of the falces ; those of the lower pair on 

 each side represent the ordinary lateral pair, and are contiguous to 

 each other, while those of tlie upper j)air, on each side, represent 

 the fore and hind central pairs, the eyes of each of the two latter 

 pairs being abnormally separated. 



Lcffs long, slender, 1, 2, 4, 3 ; furnished with liairs only. Ter- 

 minal tarsal claws three, articulated to a small supernumerary clavv- 

 ioint. 



Maxilht strong, slightly curved, and inclined towards the labium, 

 which is large, somewhat pointed at its apex, where it is slightly 

 notched, and broader across the middle than at the base or apex. 



