478 



is of an almost uniform whitish colour, with a broad, central, 

 longitudinal, darkish band on the cephalo-thorax, and a small 

 oblique oval marking, formed by a fine black line, on the 

 middle of the upper part of the abdomen, on each side of the 

 medial line. 



A single example found by Mr. Blackwall among strawberry 

 plants in his garden in North Wales. 



I have not seen this spider, of which the type specimen no longer 

 exists. It formerly occurred to me that possibly Theridion albent 

 might be only a variety of Theridion pollens, Blackw. ; but further 

 consideration leads me to believe that Mr. Blackwall could hardly 

 have mistaken a mere variety of Theridion pollens (with which 

 he was so well acquainted) for a distinct species. 



GENUS DIPCENA, Thorell. 



Closely allied to Theridion, but of a stouter form, and has 

 distinct and strongish spines on the legs, which are also stouter 

 than those of Theridion. 



DIPCENA MELANOGASTEE. 



Atea melanogaster, C. Koch., Die. Arachn. xi., p. 143, pi. 392, 

 fig. 941-42 



Theridion congener, Camlr., Zoologist 1863, p. 8576. 



Length of the female l-9th of an inch. 



Cephalo-thorax deep shiny black-brown. Clypeus high, and 

 prominent below. Legs short, stout, and armed with spines ; 

 relative length 1.4.2.3, pale yellow, blotched and annulated with 

 black and yellow-brown. Palpi like the legs. Abdomen broad 

 in front, very Epfe'iriform ; yellowish above, thickly mottled and 

 suffused with yellow-brown, and marked with numerous black 

 dots and points, forming a series of five or six obscurely-defined, 

 transverse, angulated stripes, which comprise the principal 

 black spots, those being the largest (and as if confluent) at the 

 angle of each stripe. Sides towards the front black, with an 



