1869.] Indian Arachnoidea. 231 



end ; the spinners are short, situated on the lower terminal edge and 



surrounded with an oval raised margin. 



Length of the thorax 6 - 5 m.m. ; its width about the middle, 6 - 5 m.ni. 



■ abdomen 75 ,, „ ; near the posterior end, 9 ,, ,, 



at the anterior end, 3"8 „ ,, 



one of the first pair of feet 20 „ „ 



2nd 19-5 „ „ 



3rd 10-5 „ „ 



: 4th 11 „ „ 



Loc. This beautiful species was sent, with a large number of other 

 novelties, to the Indian Museum by Mr. A. C. Peel, an assiduous 

 collector and observer of natural history objects ; it was obtained at 

 Sibsagur, Western Assam. 



Family, SCYTODIDJE* 



SCYTODES, Latr. 



This genus belongs to the tribe of the Senocidina of Blackwall, 

 characterized by the presence of only six eyes. In Scytodes these 

 eyes are distributed in pairs on the anterior part of the thorax, one 

 pair lies in front, and one pair on either side somewhat posteriorly 

 compared to the former. 



While other Senocidina, like Dysdera and Segestria, are, as regards 



the form of the body, mostly related to the Lycosid^ (especially 



to Lycosa,) and to the Thomisid-ZE, the Scytodes in general character 



seem to be closely allied to some species of the Theridice, an opinion 



which, if I am not mistaken, has been advanced by Walkenaer. With 



reference to this point, however, and also concerning the divisions of 



the Octonoculina and Senocidina being natural, great doubts may be 



expressed. I believe that the general character of the body ought in 



such cases to be considered as more important in a classificatory point of 



view, than the single character relating to the position of the eyes. The 



distinction according to these is no doubt convenient, but not always 



natural. Scytodes, when observed sitting in its natural position, has 



' like Thomisus the three anterior pair of feet directed forwards, and the 



posterior stretched obliquely from the body, but also with the intention 



of a forward movement. In this position the spiders greatly resemble 



* Vide " Scytodifobmes," and genus Scytoda in Eu. Simon's " Hist. nat. des 

 Araignees," Paris, 1864, p. 43. 



