THOMISUS. 
89 
The eyes are disposed on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax, in two transverse rows, 
forming a crescent; those of the anterior row are slightly larger than those of the posterior 
row, and the lateral pairs are seated on tubercles. The cephalo-thorax is compressed before, 
rounded on the sides, broadly truncated in front, and depressed in the posterior part; its 
colour is dull-yellow, a broad, longitudinal band in the medial line, the lateral margins, and 
the region of the eyes, being of a paler hue, and a band of a dull-green colour extends along 
each side. The falces are short, strong, and vertical; the maxillse are enlarged where the 
palpi aie inserted, and convex at the base; the lip, which is somewhat oval, is pointed at the 
apex; and the sternum is heart-shaped. The first and second pairs of legs are much longer 
and more powerful than the third and fourth pairs, and their metatarsi are provided with two 
longitudinal rows of strong spines on the under side; the first pair of legs is rather longer 
than the second pair, and the third pair is the shortest; each tarsus is terminated by two 
curved, deeply pectinated, black claws; the palpi are short, and have a curved, pectinated 
claw at their extremity; the abdomen is depressed, much broader at the posterior than at 
the anterior extremity, and projects over the base of the cephalo-thorax. These parts are of 
a yellow colour, differing in intensity, and the maxillae have a tinge of brown. On the upper 
part of the abdomen there are two longitudinal series of minute depressions, which converge 
to a point near its anterior extremity; and in the medial line of the under part two parallel 
series of similar depressions occur. Much diversity of colour may be observed even among 
adult females of this species, the prevailing tint in some individuals being yellow, and in 
* others pale-green, greenish-yellow, or white; and in many instances the sides of the anterior 
part of the abdomen are marked with an irregular, longitudinal, red band. 
The male is .only half the length of the female, and differs from her remarkably in colour. 
The sides of its cephalo-thorax have a brownish-black hue, a broad band of yellowish-green 
extends along the middle, and the region of the anterior intermediate pair of eyes and the 
frontal margin are of a dull-red colour. The falces, maxillae, lip, and sternum are of a dark, 
reddish-brown hue, the extremities of the first three having a greenish-yellow tint. The first 
and second pairs of legs are of a dark, reddish-brown colour, with broad annuli of yellowish- 
brown on the tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi; the third and fourth pairs have a dull, greenish- 
yellow hue, with the exception of the coxae, which are of a dark, reddish-brown colour. The 
colour of the axillary, humeral, and digital joints of the palpi is dark, reddish-brown, the last 
having a yellowish-brown tinge at the extremity; the cubital and radial joints are short, 
and of a greenish-yellow hue; the former is the larger, and the latter projects a large 
apophysis from its extremity, on the outer side, which terminates in an acute, curved point; at 
the base of the apophysis, underneath, there are two obtuse prominences, and intermediate 
between them and its curved point another is situated; the digital joint is of a broad, oval 
form, convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal organs; these 
organs, though highly developed, are not very complicated in structure; they have a small, 
curved spine at their extremity, on the outer side, and are of a dark, reddish-brown colour. 
The abdomen is oviform, somewhat depressed, of a pale, greenish-yellow colour above, 
with an irregular, brownish-black band extending from the spinners, on each side of the 
medial line, about two thirds of its length; on the sides there is an irregular band of the same 
hue, which unites with the other bands at the spinners; and the under part has a broad, 
longitudinal, dark, reddish-brown band in the middle, bordered laterally with red-brown. 
12 
