Blackwall — Spiders CajjfiD-cd in the SeycheUes Islands. IS 



longer; it is also rather darker coloured, and the protuberance on 

 which the intermediate eyes of the anterior row are seated is more 

 prominent. The palpi arc short ; the radial is stronger than the 

 cubital joint, and the digital joint is oval, pointed at its extremity, 

 convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal 

 organs, which are highly developed, prominent, not very complex in 

 structure, and of a brownish-yellow colour. The convex sides of the 

 digital joints are directed towards each other. 



Family THERIDIID^. 



Genus Theridiox, WalcJc. 

 Theeidion placets, n. sp. Plate 2, fig. 10. 



Length of the female, o^ths of an inch ; length of the cephalothorax,^ 

 iV ; breadth, -aV ; breadth of the abdomen, -j4- ; length of an anterior 

 leg, i ; length of a leg of the third pair, \. 



The cephalothorax is convex, glossy, compressed before, rounded 

 in front and on the sides, and has an indentation in the medial line of 

 the posterior region ; the falces are conical and vertical ; the maxilla; 

 are obliquely truncated at the extremity, on the outer side, and in- 

 clined towards the lip, which is semicircular ; the sternum is heart- 

 shaped. The legs are long, and provided with hairs ; the first pair is 

 the longest, then the third, and the fourth pair is the shortest ; each 

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

 and slightly pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected near its base ; 

 the palpi are slender and have a curved minutely pectinated claw at 

 their extremity. These parts are of a pale-yellowish colour. The 

 eyes are disposed on the anterior part of the cephalothorax in two 

 transverse rows ; the four intermediate ones form a square, the ante- 

 rior ones, which are seated on a small protuberance, being the largest 

 and darkest of the eight ; the eyes of each lateral pair are placed on a 

 minute tubercle, and are contiguous. The abdomen is oviform, convex 

 above, and projects over the base of the cephalothorax ; it is of a 

 ^yellowish-brown colour, the under part being the palest, with an irre- 

 gular line composed of white spots extending along each side of the 

 middle of the upper part ; the sexual organs, which are moderately 

 developed, have in connexion with them a triangular process directed 

 backwards, and are of a yellowish-red colour. 



The male is rather smaller and darker coloured than the female. 

 The radial joint of its palpi is stronger than the cubital joint ; the 

 digital joint is oval, convex and hairy externally, concave within, com- 

 prising the palpal organs, which are well developed, rather complex 

 in structure, with a fine, black, slightly- curved, pointed spine on the 

 lower side, which is directed forwards. The convex sides of the 

 digital joints are directed towards each other. 



Immature individuals of this species arc darker coloured than adult 

 females. 



