249 



brownish-yellow, with rather indistinct reddish-brown annula- 

 tions at the joints. The palpi (of the male) are short ; the 

 cubital and radial joints are very short, and have some long, 

 strong, curved bristles in front. The digital joint is large and 

 of a dark-brown colour ; the palpal organs are very prominent, 

 and complex. The abdomen is rather oblong-oval, and projects 

 considerably over the base of the cephalo-thorax. The upper 

 part is of a deep, rich, black-brown colour, margined with 

 yellowish- white; the central portion is much paler, and often of a 

 reddish hue ; a yellowish-white tapering stripe runs through the 

 upper side from end to end, and emits several finer lateral 

 branches ; in some examples these white branch stripes prevail 

 on the middle portion, which then assumes the appearance of a 

 large whitish area with some transverse, reddish-brown bars or 

 lines. The sides are yellowish- white, with brown markings, among 

 which are several oblique brown streaks ; and the under side is 

 black-brown, with narrow, yellowish, lateral margins. 



The abdomen of the male is less brightly and distinctly marked 

 than that of the female. The eyes of the hind-central pair are 

 nearer together than those of the fore-central, being in fact 

 almost contiguous to each other. 



Found, though rarely, at Bloxworth and in the neighbourhood, 

 among rushes, in damp and marshy places on heaths and com- 

 mons, in the months of May, June, and July. I have also 

 received it from other parts of England, and have met with it 

 near Lyndhurst, Hants ; but it appears to be very local, and 

 nowhere abundant. 



SINGA PYGMiEA. 



Theeidittm pygxugum, Sund., Sv. Spindl., Beskr. in Vet-Akad., 



Handl , f. 1879, p. 121 (in part ). 

 Epeira herii, Blachv., Spid. Great Brit, and Irel. pi. xxvii. 



fig. 264 (exclude description at p. 366). 

 Epeira antiiracina, Blackw., 1. c, p. 357, pi. xxvi., fig. 257. 



The length of the male is from l-10th to l-8th of an inch, 

 and the female is rather larger. 



