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Show 286 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON NEW ARANEIDEA. [Mar. 4, Fig. 11 c is almost exactly identical with the type; it is from one of the examples included by Mr. Blackwall, I. c, in his list of S.E. African Spiders as G. frontata, Bl.,from which it is clearly distinct (vide G. frontata, BL, anted, p. 283). An example from E. Africa (in m y collection) is intermediate between the last-mentioned one and the figure given (I. c.) by Karsch of G. petersii, in which the only difference is the (apparently) stouter and more curved intermediate spines, and the less narrow abdomen. My example differs from my fig. 11 in being less narrow, but still not quite so broad, proportionally, from back to front as represented in Karsch's figure. I have also another example, from the Zambesi river, in which the abdomen is narrowest of all, and the length of the intermediate spines exceeds that of all the other examples and figures I have yet seen, their strength and direction being those of the typical G. formosa. This example comes perhaps the nearest to 67. milvoides, Butl. The locality of G. transversa, C. L. Koch, is not given by that author; but I should strongly suspect it to be African, especially as it is figured with transverse pale bands across the abdomen, which, in well-preserved examples of G. formosa, Vins., are well marked and characteristic. It is possible that G. fornicata, C. L. Koch, may be of this same species; but as it comes from a widely distant locality (Java), it is safer at present to conclude it to be distinct. At any rate, never having seen an example from Java, I am unable myself to give any opinion upon it. I have hesitated to include G. nana, Butl., among the synonyms of G. formosa, Vins., though it would not surprise m e if it should some day be found to be identical. GASTERACANTHA IMPORTUNA, sp. n. ? (Plate XXVII. fig. 12.) Length of the transverse diameter of an adult female, exclusive of the spines, 6 lines ; length of the longitudinal diameter 3 lines. In this Spider the large lateral spines are not quite so long as in the last; but tbey are stronger, straighter, and have a more backward direction. The colours are like those of that species ; but the example described is in a similarly bad state of preservation so far as colours are concerned. The extremities of the large spines have a strong steel-blue metallic hue. It is only with great hesitation that I have described this Spider as distinct from 67. molesta. I should not be at all surprised at a series of examples from the same locality some day proving it to be identical with that Spider, and possibly also with G. formosa, Vins. Hab. West coast of Africa. GASTERACANTHA MOLESTA, sp. n. (Plate XXVII. fig. 13.) Length of the transverse diameter of an adult female, exclusive of the spines, 7| lines ; length of the longitudinal diameter a little over 3 lines. This Spider is evidently allied closely to G. formosa, Vins.; but the large lateral spines are much less tapering than in any of the |