OCR Text |
Show 586 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON EGYPTIAN SPIDERS. [June 20, one, which is smallest of the eight : the hinder eyes of the lateral pairs follow the same curve as the four middle ones ; but the interval between each aud the end one of the central curve is as great as that between the latter and the next to it but one : the interval between the two middle eyes of the central curved row is greater than that between each and the end eye nearest to it; these end eyes are also rather larger than the middle ones. Owing to the flatness of the caput and the nearness of the eyes to its fore margin, the clypeus is very low, no more than equal to the diameter of one of the middle eyes of the central curve. The legs are long, moderately strong, and not greatly unequal in length; their relative length is 2, 3, 4, 1 ; they are of a dull yellow tinged with brown, and more or less distinctly annulated with darker yellow-brown; they are furnished slightly with a greyish yellow pubescence, which sometimes obscures the darker annulations, and also with hairs, bristles, and spines of various lengths. Each tarsus terminates with two curved claws, which appear to be devoid of pectination ; and beneath them is a small but compact scopula of black hairs. The palpi are short, similar to the legs in colour, except the radial and digital joints, which gradually deepen into a dark reddish yellow-brown : the radial joint is nearly of the same length as the cubital, and has, near its outer fore extremity, a prominent dark red-brown somewhat corneous looking apophysis of a tapering, but not very acute, pointed form ; on the inner side, towards the fore extremity of the radial joint are several long spine-like bristles ; the cubital joint has a single bristle on the upperside at the fore extremity ; and the humeral joint has several spine-like ones about the same part; the digital joint is of good size and of a regular oval form, but does not equal in length that of the radial and cubital together by about one half of the latter ; the palpal organs are well developed, but not very complex, nor presenting any thing very remarkable in their structure. The falces are moderate in length and strength, rather prominent in front, rounded in profile, and of a deep red-brown colour, paler reddish-yellow near the fore extremity on the inner sides; they are furnished with longish bristly hairs, and appear to have one or two sharp teeth on their inner margins ; the fangs are powerful, strongly curved, and of a deep red-brown colour. The maxilla are strong, straight, and obliquely and roundly truncated at their extremities ; their colour is yellow red-brown, softening to pale yellow at their extremities. The labium is equal in length to half that of the maxillae ; it is of an oblong form, rounded at the apex, where it is of a pale yellowish colour, the rest being reddish yellow-brown ; the upper half is apparently wider than the lower. The sternum is of a dull yellow colour, and nearly circular in its shape, its fore margin is a little flattened, its hinder extremity notched, and its surface is furnished with hairs. The abdomen is very flat, of an oval form, truncated before, |