Drassus micans. PI. VI, fig. 72.
Drassus micans, Black»., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., third series, yol. i, p. 430.
Length of the male, Jth of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, T',th, breadth, Ath;
breadth of the abdomen, à th; length of a posterior leg, Jth; length of a leg of the third
pair, 1th.
The cephalo-thorax is oval, slightly compressed before, somewhat rounded in front,
convex, glossy, with slight furrows on the sides converging towards a narrow indentation
in the medial line ; it is thinly clothed with short, hoary hairs, which are most abundant on
the anterior part, and has three oblique rows of white hairs on each side, which converge
towards its middle ; the falces are conical, vertical, with a slight protuberance near the base,
in front, towards the inner side, and have two very minute teeth on the inner surface; the
maxillæ are powerful, enlarged where the palpi are inserted, gibbous at the base, depressed
transversely near the middle, rounded at the extremity, with a small, angular projection on the
outer side, and inclined towards the lip, which is longer than broad, and rounded at the apex ;
the sternum is oval, pointed at its posterior extremity, convex, and glossy. These parts are
of a red-brown colour, the sternum having obscure, dark-brown streaks directed from the
lateral margins towards its centre. The eyes are disposed on the anterior part of the cephalo-
thorax in two short, transverse, curved, concentric rows, whose convexity is, directed backwards
; the interval between the intermediate eyes of the posterior row is greater than the
space which separates them from the lateral ones of the same row, and the intermediate eyes
of the anterior row are rather the smallest and darkest of the eight. The legs are moderately
long, provided with hairs, and are of a brownish-yellow colour, with the exception of the
femora of the first and second pairs, which have a brownish-black hue, and the anterior side
of the femora of the third and fourth pairs, which has a brown tint; the fourth pair is the
longest, then the first, and the third pair is the shortest; each tarsus is terminated
by two plain, curved claws, below which there is a small scopula. The palpi are
slender, and, with the exception of the humeral joint, which is of a brownish-black
hue, have a brownish-yellow colour, faintly tinged with red; the cubital and radial joints
are short, and the latter, which is the larger, projects a small, pointed apophysis from
its extremity, on the outer side; the digital joint is of an oblong-oval form, compact and
pointed at the extremity, convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the palpal
organs, which are well developed, prominent, not very complex in structure, with a process
near the middle which is directed forwards, and are of a mingled red-brown and brownish-
yellow colour. The abdomen is oviform, glossy, clothed with short hairs, convex above, and
projects a little over the base of the cephalo-thorax ; it is of a deep-black hue, but iridescent,
reflecting bright tints of green, purple, and copper when viewed in a strong light; the
branchial opercula and the medial line of the under part are of a brown colour, and the
extremities of the superior and inferior spinners have a somewhat darker shade ; there is also
a curved, transverse line immediately below the branchial opercula, and a small spot just
above the spinners, which are composed of white hairs.
An adult male of this minute Ttrassus was found in Dorsetshire by tire Rev. 0 . P. Cambridge,
'in the autumn of 1857.
Drassus otte‘ns. PI. VI, fig. 73.
Drassus nitens, B lack»., Bond, and Bdinb. Phil. Mag., third series, vol. .iii, p. 439.
— ■—- Black»., Research, in Z'ool., p. 328.
— Black»., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. viii, p. 42.
— formosns, Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. ii, p. 488.,
Macaria formosa, Koch, Die Arachn., Band vi, p. ‘97, tab. 203, fig. 501.
Length of the female, 'jth of an inch; length of'the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, ^fh;
breadth 'Of the abdomen, Ath; length of a posterior leg, jth ; length of a leg of the third
pair, 'jib.
The eyes 'are disposed on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax in two 'transverse,
curved, concentric rows, having their convexity directed backwards; the interval between'the
intermediate eyes of the posterior row is greater than the space which separates them from
the lateral eyes of the same'row, and the - intermediate 'eyes o f the anterior row are the
smallest of the eight. The cephalo-thorax is oval, ‘convex, somewhat rounded in front, and
thinly covered with short, hoary hairs, which are most abundant on the anterior part; it is of
a brownish-black colour, with three faint white lines on each side converging from the lateral
margins towards the middle. The falces are strong, conical, vertical, and armed with a few
very minute teeth on the inner surface; the maxillse are powerful, enlarged where the palpi
are inserted, gibbous at the base, compressed near the middle, slightly enlarged and rounded
at the extremity, and inclined towards -the lip, which is longer than broad and round at the
apex; the sternum is of an oblong-oval form, pointed *at its posterior extremity. These parts
are of a brown-black colour, the sternum being the darkest. The legs are moderately long, and
the thighs of the anterior pair are robust; they are of a brown colour, faintly tinged with red,
except the coxae, exinguinal joints, and thighs of the first pair, and the exinguinal joints and
thighs of the second pair, which are of a dark, brownish-black hue ;'th'e fourth pair is the
longest, and the third pair is the shortest ; each tarsus has hair-like papillae on dts under side,
and is terminated by two plain, curved claws, below which there is a small scopula. The
palpi are filiform ; the axillary and humeral joints have a dark, broWnish-black tint,-and the
cubital, radial, and digital joints are of. a brown colour, tinged with red. The abdomen is of
an oblong-oviform figure, and projects 'a little over the ’base of the cephalo-thorax; it is
covered with short hairs, and is df a deep-black hue, but reflects rich tints of purple, green,
and copper-red when seen in a'strong light; -on'the upper part, in front, there is a small, transverse,
slightly curved, whiteline, whose convexity is directed forwards ; and at a considerable
distance behind it there is a long, transverse, white line, which is abruptly curved in the
middle’in a direction opposed to that of the preceding one; a detached white spot occurs on
each side, nearly opposite to the extremities of the longer line, and a Short, white streak