394 KEV. 0. p. CAMBEID&E ON CEYLON SPIDEBS. 



Tetragnatha Ceylonica, n. sp. PI. XIII. figs. 83 to 88. 



J adultj length 4 lines ; $ adult, 4 lines. 



This species is scarely distinguishable, in general size and ap- 

 pearance, from the European T. extensa, but may at once be 

 distinguished, both from that species and others having a long 

 cylindrical abdomen, by the position of the eyes : the palpi also 

 of the male differ in structure from those of T. extensa, as also 

 does the dentition of the falces. 



In the present species the eyes of ea;ch of the two lateral pairs 

 are nearly contiguous, the fore eye of each being very minute and 

 the smallest of the eight, the posterior eye of each, together with 

 those of the hind central pair, form an equally divided curved line, 

 the curve directed forwards ; the eyes of the front central pair are 

 seated on a strongish tubercular prominence, and are nearer to- 

 gether than those of the hinder pair, describing, with them, nearly 

 a square, which has its widest side behind ; the form of the space 

 thus occupied by the eyes is somewhat of a crescent. The height 

 of the clypeus is about equal to the diameter of one of the fore 

 central eyes, which are immediately above it. The/aZces are long, 

 strong, projecting, and very divergent : enlarging beyond the 

 middle and narrowing again at the extremities, they are a little 

 constricted close behind the insertion of the fang, which is mode- 

 rately long, simple, and curved : besides a continuous longitudinal 

 row of fine teeth on their inner sides, the falces have five of larger 

 dimensions (four sharp- and one obtuse-pointed) distributed near 

 their extremities ; the largest of the sharp-pointed ones projects 

 prominently inwards from their upper part towards the inner 

 margin ; another (longer, stronger, curved forwards, obtuse at its 

 extremity, which is also bifid) is situated towards the outer side, 

 and nearer the insertion of the fang ; the others are (one above 

 and two below) between the fang and the largest of the five teeth. 

 The palpi are similar in general structure and appearance to those 

 of T. extensa ; but the cubital joints have a small, curved, rather 

 obtuse, and somewhat tooth-like spine at their upper extremity ; 

 the radials also have a small acute spiny projection at their upper 

 extremity ; digital joint very slightly longer than tlie radial, and of 

 the same irregular form as that of, T. extensa. The palpal or- 

 gans differ but very little in structure from those of that species. 

 Four specimens, three adult males and one adult female, were 

 found in Mr. Nietner's Ceylon collection ; and it is a species 

 hitherto, I believe, undescribed. But notwithstanding the mi- 



