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Show 1880.] OF THE GENUS ARGYRODES. 321 this accretion forms no part (properly speaking) of the genital process, though in what way it is formed it is difficult to say ; probably it is an exudation from the genital organs, which hardens on coming into contact with the air, and so adheres to the process in its outward passage. I have noticed it in several species ; but it is by no means invariably found in all the individuals of a species. This abnormal development greatly obscures its real structure, and considerably lessens the value of the genital process oi Argyrodes as a criterion (so valuable in general) of specific distinctness. Little appears to be known yet of the habits of this curious group of Spiders. So far as observations have been made, they live in their own irregular snares, spun among the outskirts of the snares of large Epeirids. When travelling in Palestine some years ago, I met with the type of the genus (Argyrodes epeiree, Sim.) in abundance near the Sea of Tiberias, in the outskirts of the webs of Cyrtophora opuntice, Duf.; its pretty little pear-shaped egg-cocoons were also found suspended in the same position. Out of numerous cocoons brought home, almost all were infested by a minute hymenopterous parasite, the perfect forms of which emerged at different times during the following summer. There does not appear to be any great variety in the form of the egg-cocoon of the different species, those of several which I have received being very nearly alike, excepting in size. The known species of Argyrodes are now becoming rather numerous- about 29 species, in addition to the 21 new ones here described, having been already characterized; probably many more will be discovered when greater attention is given to them by collectors in exotic regions. Several of the most curious of those now described were found among debris of the snares of some large Epeirids, having evidently been bottled along with the latter but not specially noticed or recognized at the time by the collectors. Fam. THERIDIIDES. Genus ARGYRODES, Sim. ARGYRODES FLAVESCENS, sp. n. (Plate XXVIII. fig. 1.) Adult male, length rather more than 1| line, that of the female being rather over 2 | lines. The fore part of the caput of the male is produced aud elevated, and is divided by a transverse cleft into two lobes, of which the upper one is the strongest. The colour of the cephalothorax, as well as of the palpi, falces, maxillse, labium, and sternum, is yellow, tinged with orange ; the anterior portion of the lobes into which the caput is produced is clothed with short coarse hairs. The eyes are placed four on the summit of the upper lobe of the caput, forming nearly a square; and on each side, at a considerable distance below, a little behind the cleft which divides the two lobes, is another pair, the eyes of which are contiguous to each other. The legs are long, slender, 1, 2, 4, 3, those of the first pair being much the longest. They are of a deep blackish-brown hue, with the D 21* |