118 FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 



grey, with dark brown annulations ; each limb armed with long, 

 strong, black spines ; in addition to the latter there are also a 

 few short black spines on the femural joints ; relative lengths, 

 1, 2, 4, 3 the second and fourth pairs somewhat shorter than 

 the first pair, but co-equal in length. Palpi similar in colour 

 and armature to legs. Falces long, glossy, dark brown, approach- 

 ing bistre ; inner margins yellow, divergent at apex, fringed with 

 rather long hoary hairs on the inner margins ; the upper margin 

 of the furrow of each falx is armed with a row of four teeth, 

 and the lower with three; fangs, long, strong, dark brown at 

 base, wine-red at points. Maxillpe broad, divergent, moderately 

 arched, dark brown at base, yellowish at apex and inner margins ; 

 a few short hoary hairs on the outer surface, inner margins 

 thickly fringed with yellowish hairs. Labium broader than long, 

 dark brown at base, yellowish at apex. Sternum cordate, shiny, 

 moderately convex ; colour : black, with a pale yellowish median 

 streak commencing in front, and running to about two-thirds 

 its length. Abdomen oblong-ovate, projecting over base of 

 cephalothorax, strongly arched, clothed with moderately long, 

 fine hairs ; anterior portion and sides light grey, with dark 

 brown markings ; from the centre to posterior extremity there 

 is a dark yellowish-brown patch, sinuous laterally ; inferior 

 surface dark brown laterally ; at the centre there is a broad 

 brownish-grey patch extending from epigyne to near the spin- 

 nerets, from which it is separated by a rather broad transverse 

 greyish bar ; on each side of the patch there is a longitudinal 

 band of white, narrowest at the centre. Epigyne a long 

 chitinous process, yellowish-brown above, and clothed with 

 rather long dark hair, dark brown laterally, and grooved under- 

 neath ; the process elevated on a small, broad white fleshy 

 eminence. 



One mature and one immature specimen. 



Epeira distincta, sp. nov. 

 (Plate iv., figs. 4, 4a, 46.) 



? . Oephalothorax, 4mm. long, 3mm. broad ; abdomen, 10mm. 

 long, 7mm. broad. 



Cephalothorax pale yellow with long narrow longitudinal dark 

 brown bars ; the whole surface clothed with long, coarse hoary 

 hairs. Caput arched, slightly elevated, truncated in front ; 

 normal grooves distinct. Clypeus strongly arched ; a deep longi- 

 tudinal cleft or groove commencing at base of cephalic and 

 thoracic segments ; lateral grooves fairly distinct. Marginal 

 band broad, fringed with yellowish hairs, of which those in front 

 are much the shortest. Eyes pearl-grey lustre with black rings ; 

 the four comprising the central group form a trapezium, and of 



