212 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
are glossy brownish black, the pubescence gray bristles, without spines. The abdomen 
differs from that of G. maura in that the six thornlike spines are much more pointed, and 
are a bright rosy, reddish brown color, though the tips are blackish, and entirely covered 
with bristles, rising out of strong black bases. The anterior thorns are directed somewhat 
forward; the posterior are larger, and decidedly directed backward; two similar cones project 
from the apical part. The abdomen is yellow, reticulated, and covered sparsely with soft, 
short, grayish bristles, the dimpled pits surrounded by black patches, in some cases blended 
together. There are ten of these dimples upon the basal row and nine upon the posterior 
row. The latter are arranged in three groups, the two larger at the base of the posterior 
side thorn, the posterior one of these two forming, with the posterior two of the central 
quadrilateral, a row whose curvature is backward. The marginal row has five smaller 
dimples between the bases of the posterior thorns, and slightly curving backward. In the 
basal row the two dimples near the bases of the anterior spines are larger than the others. 
The sides and venter are black, mottled with yellow spots, covered with soft yellowish 
gray bristles. The spinnerets are black, and the epigynum is a strong projecting cone, 
which is tipped with reddish brown. The epigynum (Fig. 9a) has a long subtriangular 
atriolum, whose edge is deeply indented on either side of the base of a short scapus, 
which is little more than a rounded and roughened hump. 
Disrripution: I have collected this species in Texas, have specimens from North 
Carolina, and a number from the islands of the Caribbean Sea, collected by Mr. C. H. 
Townsend. Dr. Marx locates the species in Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, 
and California. It is therefore distributed along the entire Gulf Coast of the United States, 
and thence across the continent to the Pacific Coast, where it abounds, at least in the 
southern portion thereof. 
Genus ACROSOMA, Perry, 1834. 
s 
In Acrosoma the cephalothorax is a rather lengthened oval, truncated behind, but 
low in front. The fosse is not deep, the cephalic suture distinct, the head arched and 
somewhat erect, quadrate and wide in front; the Skin hard, glossy, and comparatively 
smooth. The sternum is longer than wide, marked by decided sternal cones. The 
labium and maxille are as in Epeira. The fourth pair of legs the longest, the order 
being 4, 1, 2, 3; well clothed with pubescence, bristles, and short, stubby, bristlelike spines, 
but lacking the ordinary spinous armature? The eyes are substantially as in Hpeira. The 
abdomen is an elongated rectangular ovate, upon a dorsum the skin of which is hard, 
glossy, covered with dimples, and marked along the margin by conical tubercles, more or 
less pointed. The venter is conical, the spinnerets placed at the apex, nearly underneath 
the middle of the abdomen. The characteristics of this genus are so distinct that it is 
difficult to mistake the identity, at least of the known American species. 
9h 67. Acrosoma gracile (Wa.ckenarn). Plate XXI, Figs. 1, 4. 
1837. Plectana gracilis, Warcknnarr. . Ins. Apt., ii., p. 198; Ansor, G. S., No. —. iva 
1845. Acrosoma matronale, Kocu, C.. . Die Arach., xi., p. 68, Fig. 887. 
1850. Jpeira rugosa, Hentz... .. . J. Bs, Vic, pei2lsSp.-U. 85 pi 124) -xiv.; 10, 
1884. Acrosoma rugosa, Emerron .*. . N. E. Ep., p. 326, xxxviii., 10. 
1888. <Acrosoma gracilis, McCook . . . Proceed. Acad. Nat, Sci., Phila., p. 5. 
1889. Acrosoma gracile, Marx. .... Catalogue, p, 539. 
Fremate: Total length, 10 mm.; abdomen, 7 mm. long (not including the* posterior 
spines), 4.5 mm. wide; cephalothorax, 3.5 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide. The colors vary in 
different species, but the fore part of the body is generally a dark orange or reddish 
brown, while the abdomen is yellow, with brown or red thornlike spines. 
Cepnatornorax: Corselet irregular oval, truncated behind; rather flat on the edges, 
eleyated in the centre; fosse a low circular depression; skin glossy, hard, slightly covered 
