120 DR. A. RANDELL JACKSON ON THE 



responsible for some of the errors that are frequently made in 

 the identification of the females of these small species. 



The palpi of the male are fairly characteristic. The patella 

 of each is short, and frequently carries one or more setiform 

 hairs on its upper surface. The tibia is short. It is expanded 

 distally to embrace the proximal end of the tarsus, and this 

 expansion may show one or two prominences, which are 

 sometimes sufficiently developed to merit the title of apophyses. 

 This however only occurs in the genus Micryphantes. 



The tarsus is more or less gibbous above, and in many 

 cases the gibbosity rises up into a conical elevation more or 

 less excavated on the outer side. The paracymbium is large 

 and curiously moulded. It shows numerous ridges and 

 depressions, but the exact nature of these is not very easily 

 made out, the organ appearing very different in different 

 positions. 



The palpal organs are compact, the bulb divided into two 

 parts, whilst below and to the outer side of the lower of these 

 is placed the body of the lamella characteristica, the tail of 

 which runs to the proximal end of the organs behind the 

 paracymbium. This organ differs very much in the different 

 species, and gives excellent and reliable specific characters. 



The various parts of the palpal organs are very frequently 

 found widely dislocated, and with all their relations altered, 

 and this has been another difficulty in the identification of the 

 species. This condition in spiders generally, is due to sexual 

 turgescence of the hcematodocha, and that of course is the 

 case in this genus too. But it seems to be a fact that in the 

 present group simple immersion in spirit is able to produce this 

 condition, and this is especially the case in the genus Agyneta. 

 It is therefore a comfort to find that although the position and 

 relations of the lamella characteristica are often widely 

 changed, the actual shape of that organ is not altered, and it 

 remains in whatever position it is placed a reliable criterion 

 of the species. As far as I can make out, when turgescence 

 takes place the lamella characteristica is at first usually pushed 



