1898.] iisrsECTS atjcd arachnids from socotra. 387 



condition that a description would be useless if not misleading 

 (W. F. K.). 



Species of Diptera. 



Sabcophaga, sp. inc. 



One specimen (No. 97). 



The condition renders it impossible to determine the species 

 {E. E. A.). 



IV. AEACHNIDA. 

 Bj the Eey. 0. Pickabd-Cambbid&e, M.A., F.E.S., C.M.Z.S. 



AEACHNIDA AEANEIDEA. 



Fam. Epeibid^. 



Subfam. Nephilin^e. 



Gen, Nbphlla Leach. 



Nephila bennetti, sp. n. (Plate XXXI. fig. 2.) 



Female adult ? (No. 98), length 8| lines. 



This Spider is o£ the ordinary characteristic Nephila form, and 

 at the hinder part of the caput are the two characteristic conical 

 tuberculiform eminences, conspicuous in a transverse line; the 

 colour of the caput is dark brown, with two large, somewhat oval, 

 dull yellowish patches at the hinder extremity, each surrounding 

 one of the conical eminences. The thorax is dull, pale yellowish, 

 with black-brown lateral converging stripes, and the whole cephalo- 

 thorax is thickly covered with light grey pubescence. 



Eyes normal. 



Legs long, moderately strong; 1, 4, 2, 3, furnished with hairs 

 and slender spines. Femora yellow, slightly tinged with a smoky 

 hue at the anterior extremity ; geuuae of the first and second pairs 

 dark brown, those of the third and fourth pairs yellowish ; tibiae, 

 metatarsi, and tarsi deep brown, approaching black. The tibiae of 

 the fourth pair are furnished throughout their length with nume- 

 rous coarse black hairs forming a brush ; the femora of the first and 

 second pairs have also a similar but not so strong a brush on their 

 fore-half, the hairs on these last shorten in length gradually into 

 the normal hairs of the remaining portion of the joint. 



Palpi short, normal ; humeral and cubital joints yellowish, 

 radial and digital black-brown, the latter furnished with long 

 coarse bristly hairs. 



Falces powerful, normal in form, black-brown. 



Maxillce and labium black-brown, the latter with a central 

 longitudinal reddish yellow-brown stripe. 



Sternum triangular, slightly longer than broad ; deep brown; with 



