660 Mr. Blackwall's Descriptions of new Species of Spiders. 



green. First pair of legs the longest, then the second, third pair the 

 shortest. The palpi have a slightly curved claw at the extremity. Ab- 

 domen thinly covered with hairs, glossy, very convex above, projecting 

 over the base of the cephalo-thorax ; a broad, dentated, dark brown band, 

 bordered with yellowish white, occupies the medial line of the upper part ; 

 sides dark brown, with a large, irregular, yellowish white band ex- 

 tending along each, and uniting above the spinners ; underside, and 

 plates of the spiracles dark brown, the latter having a tinge of red. The 

 sexual organs have two large, external orifices, and a small, oval process 

 connected with their inferior margin. 



The male bears little resemblance to the female. He is rather smaller, 

 and the mandibles, which are very powerful, have a small, obtuse pro- 

 minence at the base, numerous minute tubercles in front and on the 

 outer side, and are armed with a large tooth, and several small ones 

 on the inner surface. Maxillae inclined towards the lip. Legs yel- 

 lowish red, the haunches and thighs being the reddest. Fourth joint 

 of the palpi stronger than the third ; it is somewhat produced at its 

 extremity, in front, and has some fine, long bristles on the outer side ; 

 fifth joint of an elongated oval form, convex and hairy externally, con- 

 cave within, comprising the palpal organs, which are highly developed, 

 complicated in structure, with a pointed, corneous process, directed ob- 

 liquely downwards and outwards, and a spiral spine, enveloped in mem- 

 brane, at their extremity; they are of a dark reddish brown colour. 

 Abdomen nearly cylindrical, projecting a little over the base of the 

 cephalo-thorax ; it is thinly covered with hairs, glossy, and dark brown, 

 with an irregular white spot on each side of the anterior part, on the 

 upper side, near the cephalo-thorax. 



Linyphia sylvatica pairs in May and June. It is common in Denbighshire 

 and Caernarvonshire, constructing its web among grass and plants growing 

 in and near woods. In the summer of 1838, I received specimens of this spe- 

 cies from Miss Ellen Clayton, who captured them in the north of Lancashire. 

 The male closely resembles the male of Linyphia fuliginea, but may be distin- 

 guished from it by its superior size, and by the structure of its palpal organs. 

 Compare Linyphia pratensis. Wider, Mus. Senkenb. p. 258. t. I7. f. 8. 



