1902.] SPIDERS OF THE GENUS LATflODECTUS. 251 



to Mr. R. Jenery-Shee, an expert in Eiiropean languages, for 

 kindly looking through Dr. Puga Borne's voluminous work in 

 Spanish, in case I should have missed the paragraph which might 

 have contained the evidence I required. 



Of the forty-three described species referred to this genus, I am 

 able to recognize six only as distinct, and perhaps eight as sub- 

 species. Of the former, L. hystrix, geometricus, pallidus, tredecim- 

 guttatus, and mactans are probably good species. As to the others, 

 it is very difficult at present to take up any decided position with 

 regard to them, as must always be the case where we have under 

 consideration forms which are actually, at the time of observation, 

 undergoing those processes of diflferentiation, under the influence of 

 individual variability combined with that of physical surroundings, 

 which, in these early stages, have not yet brought about any 

 definite structural difference, or even any variation in the more 

 superficial characters of colour- j)attern, which can be considered in 

 any way constant and exclusive. 



In the subjoined table will be found the characters by wliich 

 the most distinct of the species and sub-species of the female sex 

 can best be recognized. The males are not sufficiently well known 

 to enable one to tabulate their characters. 



Females. 



A. Integuments clothed witli small acanthoid spines 



and short stiff black spines hystrix Simon. 



B. Integuments clothed with fine short acanthoid 



spines and longer bristles, or with fine hairs only. 



I. Central anterior eyes distinctlj' larger than the 



laterals geometricus C. L. Koch. 



II. Central anterior eyes not larger than the laterals. 

 1. Integuments almost glabrous. Latero-ventral 



area clothed with acanthoid spines only. 

 Abdomen entirely creamj^-white, with the 

 black impressed muscular scars very con- 

 spicuous, and sides slashed with brownish 



yellow pallidus 0. P. Cambridge. 



a. Eyes of anterior row, as a rule, equidistant i. 

 a}. Size much larger, length from 12-14 mm. 



Abdomen either entirely black or brown, 



without any red spots or with a single 



square or elongate-oval red spot above the * 



anal tubercle ; or with a narrow central 



dorsal red stripe, broken into two round 



spots anteriorly, and with, or without, two 



oblique lateral red stripes. Ventral spot 



dumbbell-shaped, vsdthout a decided dark 



spot in the middle maetans Yahvicms. 



b^. Size much smaller, length 7 millim. Ab- 

 domen rich brown, with three irregular 



transverse crimson cinctures (very variable 



in exact form however) and a central 



posterior crimson band. Ventral spot 



oblong-oval, with a decided dark spot or . ^ .^^^.^ ^^^^^_ 



blotch m the middle - ■ [geograplncus msselt. 



1 Characters drawn from the eye-formula are not reliable ; they vary very much, 

 even amongst examples from the same district. 



17* 



