158 MR. F, PICKARD-CAMBRIDGE ON NEW SPIDERS. [| Feb. 17, 
Berlin) has been made, the examples from Colombia are regarded 
and here described as 7’. longitarsis C. L. Koch. All of the 
species described and recorded below seem to be good and distinct, 
though of course much more material from all parts is required 
for comparison and the confirmation of characters. 
The habits of these spiders are very interesting, for although 
they are not amphibious in the true sense of the term, as are 
Argyroneta and Desis, they are quite at home on the water, and 
speed along over the surface with great ease and rapidity, the 
hairy clothing of the legs being waterproof. When racing away 
over the water, they are not easy to distinguish from the large 
Hemipterons (probably a species of Ranatra) of similar habit, 
when the two creatures happen to be together in the same locality. 
On being pursued over the water, the spiders will rush up the sides 
of the boat and take refuge under the boards, but I have never 
observed them dive below the surface as do Pirata, Dolomedes, 
and some other Pisauridee. Whether, as has been reported of 
certain species of Dolomedes and Thalassius, the spiders actually 
prey upon small fish of various kinds, I cannot say from actual 
experience, though the long flexible legs and exceedingly sharp 
claws are well adapted for the pursuit and capture of such prey 
in their native element. J may add that McCook’s records of the 
fish-catching capacity of Dolomedes (Amer. Spid. vol. i. p. 236 and 
ii. p. 66) has recently received confirmation by Mr. A. N. Stenning 
in South Africa. He tells us that 7’alassius, a genus represent- 
ing Dolomedes in the Ethiopian Region, has been often observed 
by himself in the act of devouring the small fry of a species of 
trout, and calls the attention of pisciculturists in those regions to 
the fact, and begs them to keep an eye on these spiders. 
On a swampy island in the large largo opposite Santarem on 
the Amazons, I have taken examples of one beautiful species 
squatting flat, like Sparassids, on the trunks of the trees, where 
their hoary-white hairs and mottled legs and body afforded them 
excellent protective colouring. Nor do they resemble Heteropods 
merely when at rest, for when disturbed they dash round to the 
opposite side of the tree-trunk with all the rapidity of a Selenops. 
The egg-cocoon, as in many Pisaurids, is carried by the female 
attached to the central pair of spinners at the tail-end of the 
abdomen ; and it is curious to note how, when these females stop 
suddenly in headlong flight, the weight of the cocoon swings them 
round on the water, and carries them along backwards for some 
distance. 
The species recorded and described below may be recognized by 
the following characters :— 
Males. 
A. Lower margin of fang-groove with 4 teeth, the third 
smaller. Legs unicolorous ................................. wrinator BE. Simon. 
