NEW SPECIES OF EUROPEAN SPIDERS. 



541 



digital joint is oval, rather exceeding in length that of the radial and 

 cubital joints together : the palpal organs are simple, and consist of a 

 flattish corneous lobe; from their fore extremity a black, filiform, 

 tapering spine issues, and, going first in an outward direction, coils 

 completely round their margius, its fine point overlapping its origin. 



The f alces are moderately long, rather exceeding in length the height of 

 the facial space, but not very strong ; their colour is similar to that 

 of the cephalothorax. 



The maxilla, labium, and sternum are yellow ; and their form is of the 

 usual type. 



The abdomen is of a broadish oval form, somewhat truncated before and 

 roundish-pointed behind; its upper surface is flattish ; and it projects 

 well over the base of the cephalothorax ; it is of a pale yellowish 

 colour; the upperside is furnished withafewiine hairs, and is closely 

 mottled with irregular, silvery-yellow metallic spots ; and its fore half 

 has the five usual small circular depressions or punctures, the sides 

 being of a dark rusty red-brown marked with longitudinal, parallel, 

 sinuous lines of minute yellow dots, the underside being whitish- 

 yellow, and the square between the spiracular plates a bright but 

 pale orange-yellow : the anal tubercle and superior spinners are of 

 the same colour as the sides ; the inferior spinners yellow. 

 A single example was received several years ago from the neigh- 

 bourhood of Naples ; and I feel much pleasure in namiDg it after 

 Dr. Pietro Pavesi (of the University of Genoa), who has given a 

 considerable amount of attention to the Araneidea of Italy. 



Xysticus defectus, sp. n. PI. XV. fig. 9. 

 Adult male, length rather more than 2 lines. 



This spider, though so decidedly distinct from Xysticus cristatus (Bl. et 

 al.), is yet so exceedingly similar in form, colours, and markings that 

 the description of one would do fairly well for that of the other; it is, 

 however, rather a larger spider ; the colours of the cephalothorax are 

 darker and richer; the dark, wedge-formed, longitudinal, central 

 marking behind the eyes terminates obtusely behind, instead of in a 

 point, which is invariably the case in X. cristatus ; the femora and 

 genua of the first two pairs of legs are of a rich black chestnut-brown, 

 without spots or any pale lines, the remainder, together with the legs 

 of the third and fourth pairs, being of a uniform dull yellow ; the hairs 

 also on the abdomen are shorter and rather stronger ; and the den- 

 tated band along the centre of its upperside is darker-coloured and 

 less distinctly defined, though of a very nearly similar form ; and the 

 abdomen itself is of a more regular oval shape, being rounder or less 

 truncate before. 



The palpi, however, give the most obviously distinctive character : the 

 radial joint is short and equal to the cubital in length ; it has two 

 LINN. PROC. — ZOOLOGY, YOL. XI. 39 



