anterior ones much the smallest of the eight. The falces are small, conical, armed with a few
teeth , on the inner surface, and inclined towards the sternum, which is broad and heart-
shaped. - The maxillae are obliquely truncated at the extremity, on the outer side, and inclined
towards the lip, which is semicircular. The legs are robust, and provided with hairs and a
few fine spines ; the first pair is the longest, then the fourth, and the third pair is the shortest ;
each tarsus fcterminated by three claws; the two superior ones are curved,and pectinated,
and the inferior one is inflected . .near its b a se., The palpi have a curved claw at their
extremity. The abdomen is subglobose, somewhat depressed, thinly clothed with hairs,
glossy, and projects greatly over the base of the cephalo-thorax.
M. Walckenaer appears to regard Theridion fuscum. as identical with Argus formivoms
(‘ Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt.,’ t. iv, p. 502), from which it differs in size, structure and
colour, presenting all the essential characters *of a Theridion.
Females of this species may he found towards the close of the year on rails and under
stones,, in pastures near Llanrwst.
Theridion auratum. PI. XIV, fig. 128.
Sigaloessa aurata, Templeton, MS. History of Irish Arachnida.
Length of an immature male, §th of an inch.
The tumid but imperfectly developed digital joints o f the palpi of the specimen here
described denote that it is a male which had not arrived at maturity. The cephalo-thorax is
obcordate, much carinated anteriorly, glossy, and of a chesnut-black colour; underneath it is
of a brownish-black hue. The abdomen is globular or ovate, and its colour is golden-yellow ;
it is studded with short, stiff, dark-hrown hairs, which are accumulated on the sides and in
the medial line of the upper part, giving in the latter the appearance of a broad, longitudinal,
brown fascia; underneath, a dark-brown fascia extends from the branchial opercula to the
spinners. The legs are taper, hairy, and, with the palpi and falces, of a chesnut-black
colour. A much paler variety of this species may sometimes be observed.
A few specimens of Theridion auratum have been taken at Cranmore.
T heridion hematostigma. PI. XIV, fig. 129.
Sinamorus htemalostir/ma, Templeton, MS. History of Irish Arachnida.
The female of this small Theridion has the cephalo-thorax oval, and of a pale-brown
colour, edged by a faint, dark line; in the middle there is a line which is double anteriorly,
but single and much darker at the central thoracic point, whence dark lines extend to the
origins of the leg s; underneath it is glossy, and of a reddish or orange hue. The abdomen is
ovate, hairy, and of a dark-gray colour, approaching to black, on the upper part, especially
at the base and apex; a broad, pale or white, central fascia extends its entire length, and
sends off from each side of its posterior half four or five abbreviated, transverse fascise; on
each side of the medial line, and included in the longitudinal fascia there is an impressed,
reddish dot, more or less strongly marked, but invariably present, and situated about one
third of the length of the abdomen from its base; the under part is of a grayish colour in the
centre, edged by a double black line, with a white interval. The legs are moderately long,
very hairy, and of a pale-brown or greenish hue. Some varieties have the' abdomen much
darker, and the cephalo-thorax redder coloured.
This species is common in the dark walks at Cranmore.
T heridion albens. PI. XIV, fig. 130.
Theridion albens, Blackw., Linn. Trans., vol. xvin, p. 627.
__ __ AValck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. iv, p. 492.
_ — Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. viii,
p. 445.
Length of the female, T'„th of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^nd, breadth, Ath ;
breadth' of the abdomen, And; length of an anterior-leg? Ath; length of a leg of the third
pair, £th.
The eyes are seated on black spots on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax; the four
intermediate ones form a square, and those constituting each lateral pair are contiguous, and
placed obliquely on a minute tubercle. The cephalo-thorax is convex, glossy, compressed
before, rounded on the sides, and has a slight indentation in the medial line. The falces are
small, conical, and vertical. The maxillae are slender, and inclined towards the lip, which is
triangular and pointed at the apex. The sternum is heart-shaped. The legs are provided
with hairs ; the first pair is the longest, the fourth pair rather surpasses the second, and the
third pair is the Shortest; each tarsus is terminated by three daws ; the two superior ones
are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is inflected near its base. The palpi have a
curved claw at their extremity. The abdomen is thinly clothed with hairs, very convex
above, and projects greatly over the base of the cephalo-thorax. The general colour of this
spider is whitish, but a small, oblique oval, formed by a fine, black line, occurs near the
middle of the upper part of the abdomen, on each side of the medial line; the sexual organs
also are black, and an obscure band of a darkish hue extends along the middle of the cephalo-
thorax.
A female of this minute spider was discovered in July, 1837, among strawberry plants,
in the garden at Hendre House, near Llanrwst.