FAMILY SALTICIDES. 



GENUS MAEPESSA, C. L. Koch. 



In this Genus the whole spider is of an elongate and depressed 

 form, by which its species may easily be distinguished from 

 those of other British genera. Legs not very different in 

 length, 1.4.2.3., those of 1.4 and 2.3 being respectively almost 

 equal ; those of the first pair are very robust ; the femora dilated 

 and compressed. Spines on the tibise and metatarsi. The 

 whole spider entirely clothed with pubescence. 



Three species have been recorded in Britain, but neither of 

 them has as yet been found in Dorsetshire. 



MAEPESSA MUSCOSA. 



Araneus muscosus, Clerck., Sv. Spindl. p. 116, pi. v., tab. 12. 

 Salticus tabdigradus, Blachw., I.e., p. 63, pi. iii., fig. 35. 



Length of the male nearly £-an-inch. Femalo rather larger. 



Cephalo-thorax somewhat quadrilateral, depressed, and densely 

 clothed with black, red-brown, and yellow-white pubescence. 

 Ocular area black. A broad, dark-brown, longitudinal band 

 runs along the middle of the thorax, with a broad marginal band 

 of the same colour on each side, the remaining spaces being 

 dark reddish yellow-brown, clothed with pale hairs. Logs 

 short, 4.1.2.3., strong, particularly those of the first pair, which 

 are of a dark brownish-black, or rt ddish-brown colour, palest 

 on the tarsi and metatarsi, the rest being yellow-brown, annu- 

 lated, and marked with black-brown. 



Palpi (of the male) short, strong ; deep-brown. The 

 humeral joint has an obtuse protuberance near its extremity on 

 its inner side, and the radial has a strong, curved, pointed 



