180 

 LINYPHIA THORACICA. 



Linyphia thoraoica, Wid., Zool. Misc. Arachn., p. 254 (261), 

 pi. xvii., fig. 10. 



„ oaxjta, Blackw., Sjiid. Great Brit, and Irel., p. 220, 

 pi. xv., fig. 145. 

 Length of the male about 2 to 2 J lines. 



The caput (of the male) is rather elevated and prominent, the 

 clypeus projects forwards below, and the ocular area has a few 

 prominent bristly hairs. The cephalo-thorax is of a brownish 

 yellow colour strongly suffused with reddish-brown on the fore 

 part ; the hinder extremity of the caput is blackish and sends 

 backwards a longitudinal medial black bar, and the lateral margins 

 of the thorax are broadly black. The legs are long and slender ; the 

 spines tolerably numerous, and some of them rather long, but easily 

 broken off. The colour of the legs is yellowish, annulated more 

 or less distinctly with blackish-brown ; relative length 1.2.4.3. 



The palpi of the male are short and slender, except the digital 

 joint which is large and of irregular form. The cubital joint 

 has a long strong bristle projecting from the fore part of its 

 anterior extremity, and the radial (which is greatly produced at 

 its fore extremity) has one on its outer side. The palpal organs 

 are complex, and enormously developed ; and the spider may be dis- 

 tinguished at a glance from all its allies by a double-coiled, 

 slender, filiform, black spine, which surrounds the palpal organs 

 with its large and conspicuous orbit. 

 The abdomen is of a dull brownish-yellow hue, thinly mottled 

 'with white spots, and with a very distinctive pattern on the 

 upper side formed by black spots and lines ; the latter, on the 

 hinder half, form a longitudinal series of obtuse-angled, 

 diminishing triangles with the apices (which are sometimes 

 defective) directed forwards, and looking liko greatly dilated 

 arrow-heads ; the sides are also marked with two or three short, 

 oblique, connected black lines or stripes. On the under side are 

 several rather conspicuous white spots, in a small group, just in 

 front of the sj>inners. 



