abdomen. This variety is desoribed (in the Annals and Magazine 

 of Nat. History for February of the present year) by an 

 inadvertence, as a Zilla. 



EPEIRA DIADEMATA. 



Aranetjs diadematus, Clerch., Sv. Spindl. p. 25, pi. i., tab. 4. 

 Epeiha diadema, Blackw., Spid. Great Brit, and Irel., p. 358, 

 pi. xxvi., fig. 258. 



This is one of our largest spiders, though it varies consider- 

 ably in size, in both sexes. The male measures from 2J- 

 to 4 lines in length, while the female ranges from 4 to 7 linos. 



The thoracic region is broad, and the lateral marginal con- 

 strictions at the caput are strong. The three groups of eyes are 

 rather widely separated, and the ocular region is prominent. 

 The cephalo -thorax is of a brownish-yellow colour, thickly 

 clothed with hairs, and has a broad, central, longitudinal, 

 dark-brown band, which tapers to the hinder margin, with a 

 lateral band of the same hue on either side. The legs are strong, 

 and of a yellowish hue, with dark-brown annuli ; their relative 

 length is 1.2.4.3. 



The palpi (of the male) are short. The cubital joint is 

 prominent at its extremity in front, where there are two long, 

 curved, tapering bristles directed forwards. The radial joint is 

 prominent on the outer side, and has a curved process at its base 

 above, the obtuse point of the process being directed forwards 

 and outwards. The digital joint is rather narrow, and the palpal 

 organs are of very large size, complex, and protuberant, with a 

 strong, pale, obtuse, prominent process on the outer side. 



The abdomen varies in its general hue from pale yellow-brown 

 to nearly black ; its form is somewhat sub-triangular, being 

 much the broadest in front, where, on the upper part, on each side 

 of the extremity, is a small, sub-angular prominence, which is 

 strongest in the female, and on the outer side of which is a 

 yellowish-white marking. The upper side is almost entirely 

 occupiedby avery broad band of a darker huethan the rest, taper- 



