CLASSIFICATION 387 



pendent clielicerae, the paturon directed fonvard and the unguis or 

 fang articulating in a vertical plane. The eyes are eight {except 

 Masteria, six), usually compact, and situated on an eminence. 

 Pedipalpi very leg-like, and palpal organs of nude simple. Ko 

 maxillae. Four pulmonary stigmata. Spinnerets nor^nally four. 

 No colulus. 



The Aviculariidae inhabit the warmer portions of the world, 

 and are entirely unrepresented in this country. The monster 

 spiders which excite wonder in zoological collections belong to 

 this group, as do the moderate-sized " Trap-door " Spiders which 

 are found abundantly in the Mediterranean region. 



The Family has been divided into about a hundred and fifty 

 genera, nearly half of which, however, contain only a single 

 species. 



They have been grouped by Simon ^ into seven sub-families, 

 Pakatropidinae, Actinopodinae, Miginae, Ctenizinae, Baky- 

 CHELIKAE, AvicuLAEiiNAB, and DiPLUEiNAE, of which the lirst 

 three may be dealt with very briefly. 



(i.) The Paeatkopidinae include only two American species, 

 Paratropis scrupea from the Amazon, and Anisaspis hacillifera 

 from St. Vincent. They have thick, rugose integuments, and the 

 internal angle of the coxa of the pedipalp is produced. The 

 labium is fused with the sternum, which is very broad. Nothing 

 is known of their habits, but as they do not possess a " rastellus " 

 (see p. 320) they are probably not burrowing spiders. 



(ii.) The Actinopodinae comprise three genera, Stasinoptis 

 represented by a single South African species, S. caffrus ; Eriodon, 

 of which about ten species inhabit Australia ; and Actirwjms, of 

 which about ten species are found in Central and South America. 

 They have the coxae of the pedipalps very short and broad, and 

 somewhat produced at the internal angle. The eyes are not in 

 the usual compact group, but are somewhat extended across the 

 caput. Actinopus burrows a deep cylindrical hole lined with 

 silk, and furnished with a round, bevelled trap-door. 



(iii.) The sub-family Miginae is established for the reception 

 of three genera, Moggridgea (South Africa), Migas (Australia and 

 South-West Africa), and Myrtcde, whose single species, M. perroti, 

 inhabits Madagascar. They are chiefly characterised by their 

 very short and downwardly- directed chelicerae. They are not 



' Hist. Nat. des Araignees (2nd ed.), i., 1892, p. 76. 



