FAMILY ULOBOEIDES. 



HIS family comprises a small group of very remarkable 

 spiders, spinning a more or less perfect geometric snare, 



l^LS aj like tho Epeiridea, but distinguished from them by a 

 totally different general appearance, by the position of the eyes, 

 the form of the cephalo-thorax and abdomen, and, especially, by 

 having calamistra on the metatarsi of the fourth pair of legs, 

 as well as a supernumerary spinning organ in front of the usual 

 spinners. 



Two genera only are at present characterized ; both are repre- 

 sented in Britain, but one only has as yet been met with in 

 Dorsetshire. 



GENUS TJLOBOBTJS, Latr. VELEDA, Blackw. 

 Cephalo-thorax somewhat oblong ; transversely depressed at 

 the occiput, and rather flattened above. 



Eyes small, rather widely separated ; forming two transverse, 

 curved rows, the convexity of whose curve is directed forwards, 

 the posterior row being more strongly curved than the anterior, 

 which is placod noar the fore margin, thus separating the eyes 

 of each of the lateral pairs more widely than those of the fore, 

 and hind-central pairs. 



Legs moderately strong, tolerably long, and considerably 

 unequal in length — 1.4.2.3. — those of the first pair being much 

 the longest. 



Maxilla strong, straight, and enlargod and roundod at their 

 extremities. 



Labium short and of a somewhat sub-triangular form. 



