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Show 1877.] REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON NEW ARANEIDEA. 571 margin of clypeus; its colour is yellow, with a few small brown markings round the lateral margin, and a faint brown, broad, longitudinal central band divided longitudinally on the caput by a narrow yellow line, and broken in upon by short radiating yellowish streaks indicating the normal thoracic indentations. The eyes are on conspicuous black tubercular spots, and vary a little from the normal position, those of the first and second rows forming together a curved line of four eyes, the curve directed backwards ; this is caused by the group which consists of the second, third, and fourth rows being advanced so much closer towards the fore margin of the clypeus, while still retaining their own relative position. This arrangement brings the general position of the eyes into very nearly that of the genus Ocyale; the exterior eyes, however, of the first row still occupy the same position as those of the first row in the typical Podophthalma (i. e. quite at the lower corners of the clypeus), and are also seated in front of, and rather below, a tubercular eminence, though of less length than in the other (already described) species of Podophthalma. Another characteristic of the eyes of this Spider is that they are of considerable size, and vary from each other very slightly in that respect. The legs are long, slender, and of a pale yellow colour, faintly annulated with yellow-brown. They were entirely destitute of hairs and spines ; but there were evidences of these having been considerably rubbed off. Their relative length appears to be 4, I, 2, 3. The palpi are similar to the legs in colour, slender, and of moderate length. The falces, maxillee, and labium present no difference from the normal form. They are of a pale yellow colour, except the labium, which is pale brown. The sternum is heart-shaped, brown, with a distinct and complete dentated border, and central longitudinal oval patch of yellow. The abdomen is oval, not so attenuated as in the other species, but more convex towards the anterior extremity ; it is of a brownish-yellow colour, marked variously both above and below with brown stripes and markings, the sides and a broad transverse band on the underside just behind the middle being closely marked with white cretaceous spots and patches. A single example only, received in company with those, already described, of P. hilaris, from Madagascar. I have had some doubt whether it would not be proper to place this Spider in a new genus, on account of the difference in the eyes from the typical Podophthalma, especially as the next Spider described (P. diversa, from Brazil) has a similar general position of the eyes, differing, however, in the two eyes of the second row (or rather the intermediate ones of the first) being much smaller than the rest, and so more nearly resembling those of the typical Podophthalma. On the whole, therefore, it is perhaps best at present to await the discovery of other species before forming a new genus for these two. This and the next species show some resemblance to Lycosides, Linn. (Textrix, Sund.), of the family Agelenides. |