ARACHNIDAN FAUNA RAINBOW. 107 



Order SCORPIONZDJE. 



FAMILY ANDROCTONID^E. 



SUB FAMILY ANDROCTININI. 



Genus BUTHUS, Leach. 



ttuthus brevicaudatus, <$ et ? , sp. nov. 



(Plate ii., figs. 1, la, 16, Ic.) 



Colour somewhat variable, but generally of an obscure yellowish 

 grey above, and pale yellowish underneath ; sides dull brown ; 

 palpi brown above, yellow-brown underneath ; tail dark brown 

 above and laterally, somewhat paler underneath ; vesicle pale 

 yellow, glossy; aculeus brown, glossy; eyes black; legs obscure 

 yellow above, pale yellowish underneath. 



Cephalothorax as wide behind as it is long, gradually narrowing 

 until near anterior extremity, and thence narrowing off abruptly to 

 anterior margin ; anterior and posterior margins strongly indented ; 

 a strong longitudinal groove runs down the centre from anterior to 

 posterior extremity, and separates the median eyes ; these latter 

 are slightly elevated on small tubercles ^ the surface is closely and 

 minutely punctured, somewhat uneven and depressed at centre, 

 but more strongly so behind the median eyes ; there are also 

 shallow lateral depressions at rear of anterior e) es ; behind the 

 median eyes, and at the anterior margin there are a few small 

 granules; in the male the anterior margin is more thickly granulated 

 than in the female examples ; a few short hairs fringe the anterior 

 line of the cephalothorax. Tergites finely punctured, but the 

 punctures are somewhat deepest laterally ; each is marked with 

 a median keel. Sternites smooth, glossy, with shallow lateral 

 and median depressions, closely and minutely punctured ; each 

 is marked with a median keel. Tail short, almost parallel- 

 sided ; the first segment is somewhat the shortest, the second and 

 third rather longer and co-equal in length, the fourth and fifth 

 slightly longer than the two preceding and co-equal in length ; 

 each segment is keeled laterally, has a median longitudinal de- 

 pression, and is slightly shagreened and granulated above and 

 laterally ; the inferior surface is less distinctly keeled, but more 

 strongly shagreened and granulated, the fifth segment especially 

 so ; each segment is sparingly furnished with rather long, strong 

 brown hairs. Vesicle smooth and glossy, furnished with a few 

 moderately long yellowish hairs ; aculeus dark brown, strong, and 

 gently curved ; vesicle and aculeus together are somewhat longer 

 than the fifth caudal segment. Palpi : superior surface of huinerus, 

 brachium, and manus thickly but finely granulated, the granules 

 on their lateral and anterior and posterior extremities are sensibly 



