600 



soma 1 ), this view may, I think, be admitted in consequence of the 

 presence of auxiliary or accessory claws in combination with three 

 genuine claws on the tarsi (a circumstance that prohibits our refer- 

 ring this genus to the Laterigradw) , together with a not inconsider- 

 able habitual resemblance to certain Epeiroidae, especially as regards 

 the form of the abdomen, wherein Thlaosoma more particularly 

 differs from the Ketitelariae , the only other sub-order, in which, as 

 far as I am aware, three genuine claws together with accessory claws 

 are met with. That the legs of Thlaosoma are of the "laterigrade" 

 type , would seem to be of no great consequence , as that is also the 

 case in the Arcyince, which L. Koch 2 ) on, as it appears to me, per- 

 fectly satisfactory grounds, refers to the Orbitelariae, since it has 

 been found ') that these spiders have three genuine claws and acces- 

 sory claws on the tarsi. Cryptothele is no doubt an extremely ano- 

 malous genus: it seems however to bear about the same relation to 

 the Epeiroidcr, which StepJianopis bears to the Thomisoidce. C. ver- 

 rucosa L. Koch, the only species yet known, appears to me in a still 

 higher degree than lldaosoma to be, so to speak, a degenerate Or- 

 bitelarian, which nevertheless by its coarse and strong tarsal claws 

 and its broad, flattened legs with longitudinal bald lines on the 

 upper part of the patellae and tibiae, claims certain Epeiroidae (for 

 instance Ccerostris Thob.) as its relations. — The genus (Eta Cambe. 3 ) 

 ought probably, as also Cambeidge himself thinks , to be referred to 

 the family Epeiroidae (and sub-family Epeirince) : to the same family 

 I, in conformity with Cambeidge, also refer Chorizopes Cambe. 4 ), 

 which however, as it seems to me, ought to form a separate sub- 

 family. To the Orbitelariae I am inclined to aggregate the remark- 

 able genus Phycus Cambe. 5 ), which Cambeidge with doubt classes 

 among his Thomisides, to which, provided as it is with three tarsal 

 claws, it cannot in my opinion belong. The Orbitelariae may then 

 perhaps be at present divided into four Families, Epeiroidce, Thla- 

 osomoidce, Cryptotheloidat and Phycoidce, and the first of these fami- 



tigradee, that do not do justice to their sub-ordinal names, — a circumstance which, 

 as one of course cannot found the natural grouping of animals on their habits, but 

 upon their organisation, must necessarily be of minor importance. 



1) Conf. Cambeidge, Bibliographical Notice, in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 

 4 Ser., VI, p. 4] 6; L. Koch, Die Arachn. Austral., p. 231. 



2) Die Arachniden Australiens , p. 215. 



3) On some new gen. and spec, of Aran., p. 739. 



4) Ibid., p. 737. 5) Ibid., p. 742. 



