MR. J. BLACEWALL ON SOME TUSCAN SPIDERS. 427 



the inferior surface of the tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi, and are of a bright 

 red colour ; in consequence of the mutilation of these limbs, the an- 

 terior pair being wholly detached, and the metatarsus and tarsus of 

 the only remaining posterior leg being lost, it is not possible to giv 

 their relative proportions with accuracy ; however, it is evident that 

 the fourth pair is longer than the second, and that the third pair is the 

 shortest ; each tarsus is terminated by three claws ; the two superior 

 ones are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected near 

 its base. The palpi, which are short and robust, resemble the legs in 

 colour, and are terminated by a curved, pectinated claw. The abdo- 

 men is subglobose, projects greatly over the base of the cephalotho- 

 rax, and is soot-coloured ; the branchial opercula and spinners have a 

 dull pale-yellowish hue ; and that of the sexual organs, which are 

 moderately developed, is dark-brown. 



Theridion prominens, n. sp. 



Length of the male ^V ^^- '> length of the cephalothorax ^V' breadth 

 jV ; breadth of the abdomen ^V 5 length of a posterior leg ^ ; length 

 of a leg of the third pair ^\. 



The eyes are disposed on an anterior prominence of the cephalothorax 

 in two transverse, curved rows, whose convexity is directed forwards ; 

 they are situated high above the frontal margin, and those of the an- 

 terior row are the largest j the four intermediate eyes form a square ; 

 the two anterior ones are seated on a tubercle, and the two posterior 

 ones are rather the smallest of the eight ; the eyes of each lateral pair 

 are placed on a slight tubercle, but are not in contact. The cephalo- 

 thorax is oval, convex, glossy, with an indentation in the median line, 

 the anterior part, which is very prominent, being somewhat pointed ; 

 the falces are small, conical, and vertical ; the maxillaj are convex at 

 the base, obliquely truncated at the extremity, on the outer side, and 

 strongly inclined towards the lip, which is semicircular ; and the ster- 

 num is heart-shaped, with slight eminences on the sides, opposite to 

 the legs. These parts are soot- coloured, the falces, which are much 

 the palest at the extremity, being tinged with brown, and the extre- 

 mities of the maxillse and lip having a dull-white hue. The legs are 

 long, slender, and provided with hairs ; they are of a yellowish-white 

 colour, the extremity of the femora, tibise, and metatarsi, and the 

 genua of the second pair having a brown hue ; the third pair is not 

 marked with brown ; and the colour of the fourth pair resembles 

 that of the second pair, except that the browu hue, which extends 

 over the whole of the tibiae and slightly on the base of the metatarsi, 

 is darker ; the anterior legs were mutilated ; consequently I could not 

 ascertain their colour and length with accuracy ; but from the relative 

 proportions of the coxae it would appear that the fourth pair is the 

 longest, then the first, and the third pair the shortest : each tarsus 

 is terminated by three claws ; the two superior ones are curved and 

 LINN. PROC. — ZOOLOay, VOL. X. 29 



