281 



The cophalo-thorax is dark-brown, sometimes mixed with red- 

 brown, and thinly clothod with short hoary hairs. 



Tho throo groups of eyes are seated on strong prominences, 

 and very widely separated from each other, occupying the whole 

 width of tho broad caput. The legs are modoratoly long, toler- 

 ably strong, and of a deep black-brown colour, with pale annula- 

 tions, which are not always, however, very distinctly defined. 



The abdomen is largo, flattened, and of a short regular oval 

 form. The greater part of the upper side is occupiod by the 

 normal dentated band, of which the denticulations are blunt, and 

 havo a narrowish black margin, outside of which is often a 

 narrow yellow one, most conspicuous in tho angular intorvals 

 between the denticulations ; the area of the band is dirk brown 

 mixed with yellow-brown, and spotted with black, and sometimes 

 there are traces of a large cruciform marking indicated by small 

 yellowish spots ; outside the band tho colour is usually paler 

 brown than tho band itself, but is also mottled and marked with 

 yollowish and deeper brown. The sides are as dark as tho band, 

 and the under side is deep brown-black, with a strong, curved, 

 somewhat elongate-oval, yellowish- white marking on oach side of 

 tho middle. 



The male resembles the female in colours and markings, but 

 its legs are much longer. 



The palpi are short and of the normal Epeira i orm and general 

 structure. Tho radial joint is produced on the outer side, and 

 prominent undorneath, and tho curved process at tho base of tho 

 digital joint is notched at its extremity. Tho palpal organs aro 

 large, prominent and complex. 



This spider, 1 hough not rare, is not often seen, unless specially 

 searched for, owing to its lying concealod during the day under 

 tho decayed bark of trees, or in any cracks or crevices of wooden 

 railings, gate-posts, and old timber where it can find shelter. 

 Near such situations as these it spins a large and strong orbicu- 

 lar snare, though not a closely woven one, the lines being at 

 some distanco apart. When discovered in its place of conceal- 

 ment the full grown female has been rather happily described as 



