FAMILY SCYTODIDES. 



HIS family consists of a small group of, mostly exotic, 

 six-ryed spiders, with longish weak logs, and a lame 

 halting- mode of running. The cephalo-thorax is of 

 peculiar form, its hinder part being largo^ very convex, and 

 more or less elevated above the level of the fore part, and shew- 

 ing none of the ordinary divisional indentations, but sloping 

 off gradually from the posterior to the anterior extremity, which 

 is rather narrow ; near this the eyes are placed in three groups, 

 of two, contiguous eyes in each group, forming a triangle whoso 

 apex is in front. 



The spiders of this group are generally found in houses, or 

 other old buildings, and among ruins. Two genera only are 

 known in Europe, ono of these being represented in England. 



GENUS SCYTODES, Latr. 



The hinder part of tho cephalo-thorax is remarkably elovated 

 or humped; the thoracic region being greatly developed, 

 apparently, at the expense of the caput, which is small. The 

 posterior slope is vertical, and from the highest point the 

 slope is rapid, but even on all sides, the ordinary grooves 

 and indentations being nearly or quite obsolete. The lateral 

 margins of the caput are compressed below the eyes, close 

 to the fore extromity, which is truncated. Legs rather 

 long, slender, furnished with hairs only— 4.1.2.3.; terminal 

 tarsal claws three in number, the two superior ones strong, the 

 inferior very small. Maxilla) weak, pointed at their extremities, 

 enlarged at the base, and much inclined towards the labium, 

 which is of a sub-triangidar form rounded or truncated at its 

 apex. 



