GENUS ATYPUS, Latreille. 



The genus Atyput may be known at once by the enormous 

 development of the falces. The caput is greatly elevated, while 

 the thoracic portion is depressed. The eyes are seated trans- 

 versoly in three groups on a small prominonco at the summit of 

 the caput; the central group consists of two eyes in a transverse line, 

 and has another on each side of it, consisting of three, in the form 

 of a small triangle. The maxilla) are considerably elongated 

 and divergent, the labium small and subcorneal. The abdomen 

 is small, almost semi-globular, and the spinners are six in 

 number ; the superior pair of theso are much the longest, very 

 strong, three-jointed, and upturned. Digital joint of male 

 palpus narrow, and scarcely concavo ; papal organs simple. 



Three species only are as yet known in Great Britain. All 

 these have been found in Dorsetshire, and may be included 

 among our larger spiders. Legs, 4.1.2.3. 



ATYPUS PICEUS. 



Akaxea riCEA, Sulzcr., Gesch., d., Ins., p. 254, tab. xxx., 



fig. 2. 

 Atyptjs Sulzeki, Latr., Blackw., Spiders of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, p. 14, pi. 1, fig. 1. 

 ,, AFFims, Eichw, Cambr., Trans., Linn, Soc. xxx., p. 320. 

 ,, i'iceus, Suh., Cambr., Ann. and Mag. N. II., s. 4, xvi., p. 

 238, pi. viii., fig. 2, and s. 5 i, p. IOC. 



Two adult males of this spider wore found at Bloxworth 

 about twenty years ago, and remained, until very latety, 

 tlio solo representatives of that sex found in Great Britain 

 The deep black and brown colour of the male, and the for- 

 midable and powerful falces of both sexes, make it a very 

 striking sjjider. Aiypus is the only genus of the family found 



