EPEIRA. 
357 
Epeira anthracina. PI. XXVI, fig. 257 
Micryphantes anthracinus, Koch, Uebers. des Arachn. Syst., erstes Heft, p. 11. 
Singa anthracina, Koch, Die Arachn., Band xi, p. 154, tab. 393, fig. 950. 
Length of the male, T ' s th of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^th ; 
breadth of the abdomen, ^th ; length of an anterior leg, ^ths ; length of a leg of the third 
pair, foth. 
The cephalo-thorax is large, compressed before, rounded on the sides, convex, glossy, 
with a broad indentation in the medial line, and is of a very dark-brown colour. The eyes 
are nearly equal in size, and are disposed on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax ; the 
four intermediate ones form a square, the two anterior ones being seated on a prominence, 
and those of each lateral pair are placed obliquely on a tubercle, and are near to each other, 
but not in contact. The falces are powerful, conical, and inclined towards the sternum; the 
maxillae are short, strong, straight, and enlarged and rounded at the extremity; and the lip 
is semicircular, but pointed at the apex. These organs are of a brownish-red colour, the 
last two being brown at the base. The legs are long, provided with hairs and fine spines, 
and of a yellowish-red colour, the anterior half of the femora of the first pair having a dark- 
brown hue; the first pair is the longest, then the second, and the third pair is the shortest. 
The palpi are short, and resemble the legs in colour, with the exception of the digital joint, 
which has a dark-brown hue; the cubital joint is rather prominent at its extremity, from 
which two long, curved bristles are directed forwards ; the radial joint is somewhat produced 
on the inner side ; the digital joint is oval, with a process at its base, curved outwards; it is 
convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal organs; these organs are 
very highly developed, protuberant, complicated in structure, with a prominent, pointed 
process at their base, a black spine curved from the outer side round their extremity, and 
are of a brown hue. The convex sides of the digital joints are directed towards each 
other. The sternum is broad, heart-shaped, glossy, with small prominences on the sides, 
opposite to the legs ; and the abdomen is oviform, thinly clothed with hairs, glossy, convex 
above, and projects over the base of the cephalo-thorax. These parts have a brownish- 
black hue. 
Two adult males of this small Epeira were taken by the Rev. O. P. Cambridge, at 
Lyndhurst, in the New Forest, in the summer of 1860. The female has not yet been dis¬ 
covered. 
