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Show 326 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON SPIDERS [Apr. 20, yellow-brown towards the fore extremity of the femora and tibiae, and also on the genual joints. The palpi of the male are very similar in form and structure to those of Argyrodes nephila ; but the structure of the palpal organs differs. They are similar to the legs in colour, the digital joints and palpal organs being of a dark yellow-brown hue. The form of the abdomen in the female differs a little from that of the male (vide Plate XXVIII. figs. 5 a, 5 b); the underside in both sexes is of a deep brown or black-brown, with two strong, well-marked points or denticulations on the margin on each side; a little way also in front of the spinners are two round silvery spots, widely separated in a transverse line. Adults of both sexes of this beautiful little Spider were received some years ago from the East Indies through the kindness of Mr. F. Bond. More recently I have received females from Ceylon (from Mr. G. H. K. Thwaites) and from Madagascar (through Mr. R. H. Meade, of Bradford). Three examples of the female were also contained in Prof. Traill's Amazons collection. The genital aperture of the female is of a deep blackish colour, and is smaller than that of A. nephila. In almost every example it had an adventitious and more or less prominent process connected with it, of a bright transparent red hue, and apparently of a resinous nature; so that the real form of the vulva was not easy to be made out. This resinous process appears to be found in some other species also ; and in one, A. cognata, Bl. (Seychelle Islands), it was taken by Mr. Blackwall to be a portion of the sexual process itself. It is, however, I think, certainly adventitious, and formed by an exudation, of the cause and nature of which we are ignorant. ARGYRODES JUCUNDA, sp. n. (Plate XXVIII. fig. 6.) Adult female, length to the spinners 2 lines, and from the spinners to the apex of abdomen 2if lines. This Spider is nearly allied to Argyrodes nephilee, Tacz., and others. It is, however, larger ; and the apex of the abdomen is more drawn out and pointed, the abdomen itself being more elevated and perpendicular; it is of a silvery hue, the silver spots being divided by a network of dull brown lines. On the upperside a broadish central longitudinal black-brown stripe runs from the fore extremity two thirds of the way towards the apex, ending in a broad transverse somewhat crescent-shaped black-brown band, beyond each end of which is an irregular patch of the same. The underpart is black, the black portion extending up the sides in a large somewhat circular form, with a somewhat tapering stripe running upwards on each side of the spinners. The cephalothorax is of ordinary form, and of a deep brown colour, the clypeus rounded and prominent. The legs are moderately long, slender, 1, 2, 4, 3, and clothed with fine hairs; they are of a yellow-brownish hue; the femora and fore extremities of the tibiae of the first and second pairs deep brown, and all the tarsi and metatarsi pale brownish yellow. |