342 
EPEIRIDiE. 
the thighs of the first and second pairs of legs have no longitudinal black line on their upper 
and under surfaces. The cubital and radial joints of its palpi are very small, and the 
brownish-green digital joint, which is vaulted, comprises the prominent palpal organs; these 
organs are provided with small spines, and are of a dark red-brown colour. 
Seven females of this species were received from Mr. R. H. Meade, who took them from 
their webs, which were constructed among the twigs of gorse and other bushes growing in 
Buckinghamshire, in the last week of June, 1856. 
Epeira cucurbitina. PI. XXV, fig. 247. 
Epeira cucurbitina, Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. ii, p. 76. 
— — Latr., Gen. Crust, et Insect., tom. i, p. 107. 
—• — Sund., Yet. Acad. Handl., 1832, p. 245. 
— — Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. x, 
p. 185. 
Miranda — Koch, Hie Arachn., Band v, p. 53, tab. 159, figs. 371, 372. 
Titulus 5, Lister, Hist. Animal. Angl. De Aran., p. 34, tab. 1. fig. 5. 
Length of the female, fth of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, jth, breadth, T ' 5 th; 
breadth of the abdomen, ^th; length of an anterior leg, jrd; length of a leg of the third 
pair, Mbs. 
The four intermediate eyes form a square, and those of each lateral pair are placed 
obliquely on a minute tubercle, and are almost in contact. The cephalo-thorax is convex, 
particularly in the cephalic region, glossy, sparingly clothed with hairs, compressed before, 
truncated in front, rounded on the sides, and has a large indentation in the medial line ; the 
falces are strong, conical, vertical, convex at the base, in front, and armed with teeth on the 
inner surface ; the maxillee are short, powerful, and rounded at the extremity ; the lip is semi¬ 
circular, but somewhat pointed ; the sternum is heart-shaped, with small prominences on the 
sides, opposite to the legs ; the legs are robust, and provided with hairs and erect, black 
spines; each tarsus is terminated by three claws of the usual structure, and below them there 
are several smaller ones. These parts are of a pale, reddish-brown hue, the bases of the 
maxillm and lip having a deeper shade, and their extremities a yellow tint. The palpi 
resemble the legs in colour, and have a curved, pectinated claw at their extremity. The 
abdomen is oviform, thinly clothed with hairs, convex above, projecting greatly over the base 
of the cephalo-thorax ; the upper part is of a yellowish-green colour, with a series of minute, 
black spots extending in a gentle curve on each side of the medial line, and a conspicuous red 
spot at its extremity, immediately above the spinners; the sides and under part are of a dark- 
green hue, the latter being marked with a few yellow spots and an obscure, yellow line on 
each side ; the sexual organs are very prominent, of a dark-brown colour, with a curved, 
wrinkled, membraneous process of a lighter hue, which is directed backwards, in connexion 
with their anterior margin ; and the branchial opercula have a yellowish-browm tint. 
