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RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 
CONTRIBUTION to a KNOWLEDGE of PAPUAN 
ARACHNIDA. 
By W. J. Rainbow, F.L.S., Entomologist. 
The present paper comprises a list of the species of Papuan 
Arachnida, in the possession of the Trustees. The collection, 
although numerous in point of specimens, can scarcely be 
considered representative as far as species are concerned. For 
the most part, the specimens enumerated hereunder have been 
collected from time to time by Missionaries, few of whom possess 
that special knowledge so necessary to a successful collector. 
Some of the specimens recorded below were collected under the 
auspices of His Excellency Sir Wm. McGregor, M.D., K.C.M.G., 
at the St. Joseph’s River ; and some were collected by Mr. 
W. W. Froggatt, at the Fly River, in his capacity as Naturalist 
to the Geographical Society of Australasia’s Expedition in 1885.* 
The species most common in all collections from New Guinea are 
those whose arboreal habits or size render them conspicuous, such 
as Argyroepeira grata , Guerin, A. celebesiana , Walck., and the 
huge Nephila maculata , Fab. 
It is to be regretted that a field so full of interest from a zoo- 
logical point of view, should be left almost entirely to the enterprise 
of foreign collectors, and this notwithstanding the fact that it is 
so close to our doors. Although numerous collectors have at times 
visited New Guinea, the two principal expeditions from Sydney 
have been the “Chevert” Expedition in 1875, and the Geographical 
Society’s Expedition, referred to above. The Araneidse collected 
by the former were recorded by Mr* H. H. B. Bradley. f 
The reader is also referred to a previous paper by me, entitled 
“Contributions to a Knowledge of the Arachnidan Fauna of 
British New Guinea.”! 
Some of the specimens are vaguely labelled “ British New 
Guinea,” whilst others are distinctly located ; thus in the localities 
recorded below as “British New Guinea, St. Joseph’s River,” the 
information intended to be conveyed is — that some specimens are 
known from the latter locality specifically, and others from British 
New Guinea generally ; and where the words “ British New 
Guinea ” appear between parenthesis, the object is to localise the 
preceding name. 
* See Proc. Geogr. Soc. Austr., special vol., 1885. 
f Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, i., 1876, pt. 2, pp. 137 - 150; pt. 3, pp. 
220 - 224, and plates. 
J Ibid., xxiii., 1898, pt. 3, pp. 328-356, pi. vii. 
