1898. J CTEXIiORM SPIDKKS OF AFRICA, AllABIA, AND SYRIA, 17 



Centrals | diameter apart. Laterals 1 transverse diameter from 

 centrals, over one transverse diameter from lateral posteriors. 

 Diameter of lateral posteriors | less than of central posteriors, one 

 diameter from them. Ocular quadrangle broader than long, broader 

 behind. Posterior g larger than anteriors (by diameters). Ante- 

 riors | diameter apart, | a diameter from posteriors. Clypeus two 

 diameters of anterior central eye. Inferior margin of fang-groove 

 with four stout teeth, superior with three. Tarsals claws 2. 



This fine Spider is unfortunately immature, but is obviously 

 closely allied to the males taken in the Nyassan district of S.E. 

 Africa, described below (p. 21) us C. johnstoni. The colours in the 

 type specimen have faded, and I have therefore given the characters 

 as described by Blackwall. I am indebted to the Rev. O. P. 

 Cambridge for kindly allowing me to examine this and others of 

 Blackwall's types. 



Ctenus steiacus O. p. Cambr. 



5 juv. 4-5 mm. Hab. Plains of Jordan. P. Z. >S. 1872, p. 320. 



There is no evidence from the description that this form belongs 

 to Thalassins (Titurius), as Simon suggests. No mention being- 

 made of the number of subtibial spines or the number of tarsal 

 claws or teeth on the fang-groove, it is impossible to gather to 

 what genus it belongs. 



Having carefully examined the type, however, there is no doubt 

 that this form is two-cla>.ved, with four teeth on the inferior 

 margin of the fang-groove. The eye-formula is of the usual 

 ctenoid character, and not that of Thalassius. Tibise i. and ii. 

 with 2 — 2 — 2 — 2 — 2 spines beneath, the last pair not apical. 



The type is, however, a very young female, and, further than 

 that it belongs to one or other of the various subdivisions of the 

 genus Ctenus, one cannot say anything more definite concerning it. 



Ctenus PAiLiDUS L. Koch. $ . 



Carap. 4 mm. Legs: i. 13 mm. — ii. lU-5 mm. — iii. 12-.5 mm. — 

 iv. 16 mm. Hah. Abyssinia. 



" Die Seine 4.1 . 2 . 3." — " Die beiden Ktauen am Tarsus der 

 ersten und zweiten Beinpaares mit je zwei kurzen Zahnchen " — ■ 

 " dritten und vierten Paares — mit drei bis vier iiusserst kleinen 

 Zahnchen." — " Am vorderen Palzrande zwei, am hinteren sechs 

 Zahne, die drei obersten der letzteren sehr klein." — " Mit Ctenus 

 syriacus, Cambr., ist Ctenus pcdUdus jedenfalls nahe verwandt, 

 doch sind in der Farbe und Zeichnung so wesentliche TJnterschiede 

 vorhanden, das kaum angenommen werden kann, beide mochten 

 eine und dieselbe Species sein." 



There appears to me to be no sufficient reason for regarding 

 this form as congeneric with Titurius {Thalassius, Sim.), as Simon 

 supposes, Ann. Mus. Genov. xx. p. 326. 



Ctenus spikosissimus Karsch. 

 Hah. Congo, W. Africa. 



It is exceedingly difficult to grasp the characters from Dr. 

 Proc, Zool. Soc— 1898, No. II. 2 



