THERIDION. 
191 ) 
at the base and apex; a broad, pale or white, central fascia extends its entire length, and 
sends off from each side of its posterior half four or five abbreviated, transverse fasciae; on 
each side of the medial line, and included in the longitudinal fascia there is an impressed, 
reddish dot, more or less strongly marked, but invariably present, and situated about one 
third of the length of the abdomen from its base; the under part is of a grayish colour in the 
centre, edged by a double black line, with a white interval. The legs are moderately long, 
very hairy, and of a pale-brown or greenish hue. Some varieties have the abdomen much 
darker, and the cephalo-thorax redder coloured. 
This species is common in the dark walks at Cranmore. 
Txieridion albens. PI. XIV, fig. 130. 
Theridion albens, Blackvr., Linn. Trans., vol. xviii, p. 627. 
— — Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. iv, p. 492. 
— — Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. viii, 
p. 445. 
Length of the female, T ’ B th of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, 3 ',nd, breadth, 3 ' 8 tli; 
breadth of the abdomen, d ; nd; length of an anterior leg, T ' 5 th; length of a leg of the third 
pair, iljth. 
The eyes are seated on black spots on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax; the four 
intermediate ones form a square, and those constituting each lateral pair are contiguous, and 
placed obliquely on a minute tubercle. The cephalo-thorax is convex, glossy, compressed 
before, rounded on the sides, and has a slight indentation in the medial line. The falces are 
small, conical, and vertical. The maxilire are slender, and inclined towards the lip, which is 
triangular and pointed at the apex. The sternum is heart-shaped. The legs are provided 
with hairs; the first pair is the longest, the fourth pair rather surpasses the second, and the 
third pair is the shortest; each tarsus is terminated by three claws; the two superior ones 
arc curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected near its base. The palpi have a 
curved claw at their extremity. The abdomen is thinly clothed with hairs, very convex 
above, and projects greatly over the base of the cephalo-thorax. The general colour of this 
spider is whitish, but a small, oblique oval, formed by a fine, black line, occurs near the 
middle of the upper part of the abdomen, on each side of the medial line ; the sexual organs 
also are black, and an obscure band of a darkish hue extends along the middle of the cephalo- 
thorax. 
A female of this minute spider was discovered in July, 1837, among strawberry plants, 
in the garden at Hendre House, near Llanrwst. 
