1901.] AUSTRALIAN SPIDEES. 251 



p. 716), at least some of the species hitherto attributed to that 

 genus (Frcehona C. Koch, and those for which he has constituted 

 the genera Harmonicon F. 0. P.-C, and Mdodeus F. 0. P.-C, loc. 

 cil.) are furnished with stridulatiug organs ; and it is not impos- 

 sible that the type species itself, D. macrura L. Koch, may on 

 examination prove to have them also, in which case the whole 

 group would require remodelling. Thirdly, the genera centring 

 around Brachythele Auss. seem to form a better antithesis to 

 M. Simon's other well distinguished group of MacrotJielece. 



In spite of the fact, therefore, that none of the Australian 

 species examined by me really conform exactly to the genus itself, 

 the characters represented by Brachythele Auss. seem to form the 

 better natural group round which to collect them, and I have 

 adopted it as the type genus. 



Synopsis of Genera. 



1. Thoracic fovea procurved. Tarsi aud metatarsi of 



front two pairs scopulated but not to full length 

 of latter. 3rd joint of superior spinnerets not 

 longer than the 1st joint. Front row of eye6 

 procurved though in some cases very slightly ... Aname L. Koch. 

 Thoracic fovea straight 2. 



2. Tarsi only of front two pairs with scopula. None 



on metatarsi. 3rd joint of superior spinnerets 



longer than 1st (or 2nd), thin and tapering Ixamatus E. Sim. 



Metatarsi of front two pairs of legs at least par- 

 tially scopulated 3. 



3. Front row of eyes procurved, side larger than 



middle. Tibia i. of male furnished with a single 

 spur springing from an enlargement in the middle 



of the joint Chcnistonia, n. gen 



Front row of eyes straight. Tibia i. of male fur- 

 nished with an apical spur. (Sec. Auss. ad par- 

 tem B. platipus.) Brachythele Ansa. 



Genus Axame L. Koch. 



Brachythele Ausserer, Verh. zool.-bot. G-es. "Wien, 1871, p. 174. 



Aname L. Koch, Die Arachn. Austr. (1S73) p. 469. 



Brachythele Auss., E. Simon, Hist. Xat. d. Araign. i. p. 180(1892). 



Type, Aname pallida L. Koch. 



M. Simon apparently considered (loc. cit.) Heir Koch's genus 

 Aname to be synonymous with Ausserer's older genus Brachythele 

 (type, B. icterica C. Koch). While, however, we have a group of 

 several species agreeing with the genus formed for A. pallida, 

 they differ in the following important respects from Brachythele. 



The thoracic fovea is procurved instead of straight. (M. Simou 

 forgives this.) 



The front middle eyefl (in .1. arborea and pellucida, n. sp.) 

 range up to 2 diameters apart, instead of being (parum disjunct,) 

 near together. En general the row is procurved and not straight. 

 The rear middle eyea are, except in A. peUtteida, smaller than the 



