PAPERS ON SPIDERS 577 



Reprobus Cb. is the connecting link with Hilaira and Cory- 

 phceus. All three are included by M. Simon under Hilaira', 

 but this arrangement can hardly be maintained. It may be 

 granted at once that a falcal tuber or modification of the caput 

 of the male is not in itself a generic character ; but the structure 

 of the oral apparatus may certainly acquire that value if it can 

 be shown to be distinctive of a group mutually agreeing in 

 other characters. Now Hilaira (as defined below) has the 

 labium contracted below the middle after the manner of 

 Oreonetides, though not so strongly ; whereas in CoryphcEus and 

 the species reprobus there is no indentation of the margins 

 below the reflexed tip — they are parallel (Coryphceus) or even 

 divergent (reprobus). As the diagnosis will show, this char- 

 acter in Hilaira is reinforced by the dentition of the falces, the 

 shape of the cephalothorax, and the armature and proportions 

 of the legs. Coryphceus differs in all these particulars, and 

 reprobus in all but the armature of the legs. 



Coryphcztis stands between two groups each characterized 

 by a distinctive arrangement of leg spines, agreeing entirely 

 and universally with one of them, Oedothorax. I do not know 

 of a single character in which it is demonstrably nearer to 

 Hilaira than to Oedothor-ax. By general consent it is to be 

 separated from the latter ; therefore, a fortiori, it must be 

 regarded as distinct from Hilaira. It might be urged that 

 Hilaira tincafa Cb. has only one spine on tibia iv. ; but the 

 lateral spine on tibia i. is not wanting, and the legs are the 

 legs oi Hilaira, not the long pale slender legs of Coryphceus. 



The segregation of reprobus Cb. follows as a natural conse- 

 quence. I propose to make it the type of a genus Halorates, 

 which will most probably include the continental dentichelis 

 Sim. 



Rivalis Cb. has the leg armature of Coryphceus, but is, I 

 think, generically distinct; for the falces and their dentition 

 are alike in the two sexes, while the labium is broad, short, 

 and distinctly contracted below the middle. Moreover in both 

 sexes the inner teeth are needlelike, about half the size of 



