233 



The oephalo-t/iorax is short ; the thorax is considerably higher 

 than the caput, and .slopes backwards very abruptly. 



The eyes are as in Theridion — four in a central square, with a 

 pair (the eyes of which are contiguous to each other), at a little 

 distance, on each side of it, so that the eyes of the front row 

 are, as nearly as possible, equi-distant from each other. 



The legs are moderately strong and spinous ; their relative 

 length is 1.2.4.3.; those of the first pair are considerably the 

 longest, and, with the second pair, are armed with a longitudinal 

 series «f long, strong, prominent, slightly curved spines on the 

 inner sides of the tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, the intervals 

 between these long spines being fillod up with two or three 

 others, in the same series, but much shorter ; the posterior one 

 the shortest, and the rest gradually increasing in length. 



The maxilla are moderately long, not very strong, pointed at 

 the extremity, very strongly inclined to the labium, over which 

 their extremities almost meet. 



The labium is triangular. 



The abdomen is of an almost globular form, with two or more 

 tubercular prominences on its upper side, and ornamented with 

 various conspicuous colours and markings. 



ERO THORACICA. 



Thekidium thoraciottm, Wid., Mus. Senck. Bd. 1, p. 218, Taf., 



xiv., fig. 11. 

 Theridion variegatum, Blackw., Spid. Great Brit, and Irel., p. 

 203, pi. xiv., fig. 134. 



The longth of the male is about l-9th of an inch. 



The cephalo-thorax is of a pale yellow colour, sometimes 

 tinged with brownish ; it has a distinct marginal border of black, 

 with a short, longitudinal, central black line dilated near the 

 middle into a somewhat cruciform or arrow-headed marking, and 

 divided into two short branches just behind the eyes. Behind 

 each lateral pair of eyes is also a somewhat diamond-shaped, 

 black marking. Those markings are less perfect in some examples 

 than in others. 



