382 KEV. O. p. CAMBRIDGE ON CEYLON SPIDEES. 



male, its position being marked with a slight transverse con- 

 striction, leaving the clypeus only a little prominent and rounded 

 at its lower part. 



Thirteen males and six females (adult and immature) were con- 

 tained in Mr. Nietner's collection ; they were found, Mr. N. tells 

 me, commonly in the webs of JEpe'ira opuntice, thus having quasi- 

 parasitic habits similarly to the European and Syrian species Argy- 

 rodes epeirce (Simon), and to some species found by M. Vinson 

 (Aran^ides des iles de la Eeunion, Maurice et Madagascar). 



Egg-cocoons of this species, also forwarded to me by Mr. 

 Nietner, are very similar to those of -4. epeirce (Sim.). Eesembling 

 in size and general appearance several other species, it differs from 

 them all in the form of the fore part of the cephalothorax in the 

 adult (S : in this portion of its structure it comes nearest to A. 

 epeirce ; but from this species it differs remarkably in colour and 

 markings. 



Q-enus Theridton. 

 ■ Theridion tepidariorum (Koch). 

 Koch, Die Arachn. Band viii. p. 75, tab. 273. fig. 646, and tab. 274. 

 figs. 647, 648. Blackwall, British and Irish Spiders, p. 120, pi. 13. 

 figs. 114 a, b, c, d, e. 

 Eighteen specimens (including adult and immature examples of 

 both sexes) of this species were contained in the collection ; and 

 having compared them carefully with Continental and British spe- 

 cimens, I can find no distinction between, them. In this species 

 examples occur with the legs annulated as well as plain. The 

 figures given in Koch ' Die Arach.' seem to be far too highly 

 coloured ; those in Mr. Blackwall's work are much more truthful 

 in this respect. 



Theridion luteipes (Oamb. M.S.). PI. XII. figs. 46 to 51. 



S adult, length 2 lines ; ? adult, length 2| to 3 lines. 



Cephalothorax oval, very slightly compressed laterally at caput ; cly- 

 peus a little prominent below, but slightly impressed immediately 

 below the eyes : the normal grooves and indentations are strongly 

 marked, especially the indentation at the point of junction of the ob- 

 solete thoracic segments, thoracic region well arched laterally ; caput 

 furnished with bristly hairs : the cephalothorax is glossy, and (toge- 

 ther with all the rest of the spider except the abdomen) of a uniform 

 reddish-yellow colour, the grooves and indentations being slightly suf- 

 fused with dusky. 

 . Eyes nearly equal in size ; in four pairs ; the two central pairs form a 



