99 



former protuberant above; the digital joint is largo, obtuso- 

 oval, and, with the palpal organs, which are simple, very club- 

 like. 



STEATODA GUTTATA. 



Theeidion outtatum, Wider., Blaclcw., Spid. Great Brit, and 

 Irel., p. 200, pi. xiv., fig. 131. 



This is a still smaller spider than Steatoda sticta, but about the 

 same size as S. coracina, the female measuring no more than 1 

 line in length. 



In its goneral form, and the long palpi with their large 

 digital joints and palpal organs, it is closely allied to both 

 S. sticta and S. bipunctata, but it cannot bo mistaken for either 

 of them for a moment. Not only is it much smallor, but its 

 abdomen is of a uniform, glossy, maroon-brown colour, marked 

 on the upper sido with a few bright, yellowish-whito, spots dis- 

 posed in three longitudinal linos, tho central lino being the 

 longest. Tho cephalo -thorax and sternum are conspicuously 

 punctuose. 



I have found this very pretty little spider, not uncom- 

 monly among heather on Bloxworth Heath ; and (more 

 rarely) under stones near Pennsylvania Castle, Portland. It is 

 adult in May and June, and in running the male holds its palpi 

 stretched forwards at full length, like S. sticta. Tho hinder 

 extremity of the cephalo-thorax fits into a kind of socket beneath 

 the foro extremity of the abdomen, but tho upper edgo of the 

 socket does not appear to bo either dontated, or serrate. 



GENUS EUEYOPIS MENGE. THEEIDION, Blaclcw. (in 

 part). 



The genus Euryopis forms a group of small spiders separated 

 from Theridion and Steatoda on several accounts. They are shorter, 

 and proportionately stronger, in tho legs, broader at the fore part 

 of the caput, which is, however, very short, but also prominent 

 in the ocular region ; and tho abdomen, although very short- 



