441 



hue, and of characteristic form. A little way in front of the 

 spinners, beneath the extremity of the abdomen, is a very dis- 

 tinct, transverse slit, or narrow opening, of considerable length ; 

 this, without a doubt, is the orifice of an extra spiracular organ, 

 and forms a very strong specific character in the present spider, 

 even if it be of no greater systematic significance. 



A single example was found at the roots of herbage on the 

 ledge of tho cliffs bordering the Smallmouth Sands, near Wey- 

 mouth, on the occasion of the meeting of the Dorset Natural 

 History and Antiquarian Field Club on the 2nd of July, 1879. 



NERIENE PYGM.EA. 



Neriene pygioea, Blackw., I.e., p. 261, pi. xviii., fig. 177. 



Erigone barbata, TJior., Diagn. Aran. Europ. Tijds. Ent. xviii., 



1875, p. 89 ; and, Svenska Vet-Akad., 



Handl. Bd. 13, No. 5, p. 43 ; and Cambr., 



Ann. and Mag., N.H., ser. 5, vol. iv., 



1879, p. 210. 



Length of the adult male rather less than 1 line. 



The cephalo-thorax is but very slightly constricted on the sides 



at the caput, which is well rounded above and obtuse in front ; 



its profile line from the eyes backwards is even, and in a 



gradually sloping, but very slight, curve ; the occiput is very 



slightly gibbous, and, as well as the ocular area and clypeus, is 



clothed, but not at all densely, with rather coarse, pale hairs, 



directed forwards. Tho height of the clypeus is greater than 



half that of the facial space. The eyes are small and in the 



ordinary position ; those of the hind-central pair are much 



nearer together than each is to the hind-lateral eye on its side, 



being dividod by an interval of scarcely 1£ diameters. The 



colour of the cephalo-thorax is a deep, shining, black-brown, 



that of the legs, which are slonder and not very long, 4.1.2.3., is 



a bright reddish, orange -yellow, and the abdomen is of a dull 



black hue. 



Tho surface of the thorax and sides of the caput, when seen 

 through a strongish lens, appears to be (like that of many other 



