OCR Text |
Show 1873.] REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON SIBERIAN SPIDERS. 445 tations marked with a rather darker hue ; there are some fine hairs on the upper part of the caput; and the ocular area is slightly tuberculiform by the depression of the surface immediately surrounding and the prominence of the portion on which the eyes of the fore central pair are seated. The eyes are in the ordinary position, and describe a transverse oblong figure, whose transverse diameter is about double its longitudinal diameter; those of the hind central pair are rather depressed or sunken and imbedded, and the interval that separates them is greater than that which separates each from the lateral on its side ; those of each lateral pair are seated obliquely and contiguous to each other, the fore one being the largest of the eight; those of the fore central pair are seated on the fore side of a somewhat circular prominence or slight convexity, comprising the greater part of the inside of the ocular area; they are rather the smallest of the eight, near together but not contiguous to each other, and each is separated by about its own diameter's distance from the fore lateral on its side; when looked at from the front the fore central eyes are placed above the straight line formed by the fore laterals. The legs are moderately long and strong; and their relative length appeared to be 4, 1, 2, 3 ; their colour is yellow ; and they are furnished with hairs and a very few slender erect spine-like tapering bristles. The palpi are long, similar in colour to the legs, except the digital joint, which is brown and furnished with hairs. The cubital joint is double the length of the radial, slightly curved, and enlarging towards its fore extremity, which is strongly produced on its outer side, rather beneath, into a prominent angular spur, very similar to that of E. affinis (Bl.), E. graminicola (Sund.), but less strong and marked than in E. longipalpis and its near allies, though approaching to a similar type of structure; about the middle of the margin of the upper extremity is a small red-brown tooth-like prominence. The radial joint is small at its junction with the cubital, but enlarges considerably at its extremity, where on the outer side it is produced into a long and strong curved tapering apophysis, pointed at its extremity, which is directed inwards; the upper and inner margin of this apophysis is nearly black, with a corneous appearance towards the extremity ; and at about the middle of its curvature there is a small angular toothlike prominence. The digital joint is large and of a somewhat oblong-oval form. The palpal organs are prominent, highly developed, but not very complex ; a strong black spine issues from a corneous process at their base and curves over to their fore extremity with a bold free sweep ; and a large strong corneous process margined with black runs along beneath their outer side. The falces are strong, prominent at their base in front, and excavated on the lower part of their inner sides; their upper surface is furnished with a number of small dark denticulations, mostly towards the outer sides; and a little below the middle of each falx is a large sharp tooth, obliquely directed downwards and inwards, strongly resembling a similar tooth in E. dentata, E. affinis, and others. The falces are similar in colour to the cephalothorax, as |