483 DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW ARANEID^E OF NEW SOUTH WALES. No. 9. By W. J. Rainbow, F.L.S., (Entomologist to the Australian Museum). Plates xxiii-xxiv. The present paper contains descriptions of several interesting as well as typical forms. The first, Dysdera australiensis, constitutes a new generic record for Australia. Simon, in his masterly work, " Histoire Naturelle des Araignees,"* defines the geographical range of Dysdera as: " Europa et regio mediterranea; Africa sept, et max. austr. : ins. Atlanticae ; Asia centra. ; America sept, et austr." For a genus, the species of which are so scattered, it does not, to me, appear remarkable that it should be found to occur in Australia; indeed, it seems surprising that it has not been recorded before. The species described hereunder is a typical form, and calls for no special comment. All the members of its family (Dysderidce) live by hunting, rushing out upon their prey from under stones, cracks of walls, or dark, damp, mossy situations. The species constituting the family Hersiliidce are all striking forms, and may be easily distinguished by their spinnerets, which are characteristic. The superior spinners (two) are very long; the basal joint is robust, cylindrical, and exceeds the entire length of the other spinnerets, whilst the terminal joint is taper-ing, and in some genera (Hersilia, Aud. in Sav., and Tama, E. Simon) very long and attenuated. * Deuxieme Fasicule, Tome l w -, p. 318.
BioStor
