220 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
XXIV. — A Contribution to the Study of Smth Indian 
Arachwlogy. By W. Rae Sherriffs, M.A., D.Sc, 
formerly Professor of Zoology, Madras Christian College, 
Madras. 
[Plates IT.-VI.] 
In the preface to his volume on the ' Araehnida ' (Fauna 
of British India Series) Mr. R. I. Pocock says "all that has 
been attempted is to afford means of identifying the larger, 
commoner, better known and more widely distributed 
forms ... It is to be hoped that the present work, by 
facilitating the study of Indian spiders, will increase the 
number of observers and collectors, so that at some future 
time a far more complete account of these animals may 
become practicable." 
These sentences were penned in 1900 and during the 
intervening years no contributions have been made to this 
subject, excepting quite recent papers by Dr. Gravely of 
the Indian Museum, Calcutta. 
Thorell in his 'Catalogue of the Spiders of Burma s 
(written in Latin) and Pocoek in his 'Araehnida' are 
purely descriptive, their aim being solely to enable their 
spiders to be identified. Simon in his vast work ' Histoire 
naturelle des Araignees' not only is systematic in his 
treatment, but also gives an account of the habits and 
customs of the different genera. As he deals with the spiders 
of the whole world, this part of the subject-matter is neces- 
sarily brief. 
In the present paper the emphasis is not on the systematic 
side, for the writer has attempted, for the first time in South 
India, to enumerate the spiders commonly found throughout 
the hills and plains, regardless of size or any other consider- 
ation, definitely noting localities ; also to describe their 
general life, habits and associations, the nature of the webs, 
their stabilimenta, and the cocoons with contained eggs. 
With regard to the localities a few words of explanation 
are necessary. The spiders were colleeted during 1914-18 
from three distinct regions — (1) the plains of South India 
represented by Madias city and the country around for 12 
miles to the north (Ennur) and o5 miles to the south 
(Chingleput), (2) the hills, principally the Nilgiris, (3) 
central upcountry Ceylon. These three distinct regions 
differ widely in their rainfall, and therefore in the relative 
abundance of spiders throughout the year. Around Madras 
South Indian Arachnology. 221 
and the plains of the Oarnatic the rainfall is about 50 inches 
per annum ; on the Nilgiris anything from 50-160 inches, 
while in the Dolosbage district of Ceylon it is 250 inches. 
The reason for the prolific rainfall in Ceylon is that it gets 
both the south-west and the north-east monsoons, while the 
Coromandel Coast of South India receives only the north- 
east which bursts at the middle of October and recurs at 
intervals till January. Throughout the greater part of the 
year Madias is dry — in 1911 the rainfall from 1st January 
to 30th June was half an inch — and spiders are not common. 
As soon as the first burst of the monsoon is past, then they 
appear in large numbers and the webs of the Argiopidse are 
abundant. 
On the Nilgiris the plateau gets both monsoons, the south- 
west bursting in full force against the western slopes, while 
the north-east, greatly diminished in strength, reaches the 
eastern slopes. Ootacamund, towards the centre of the 
plateau, receives a very little of the north-east but much 
more of the south-west. On the hills with the higher rain- 
fall spiders are common all the year round. The high 
rainfall of Ceylon ensures a far greater abundance of spiders 
at all times than can ever be found in South India — excepting 
perhaps Cochin and Travancore, for there the vegetation is 
really tropical and insects are numerous. 
In the few cases where I have drawn and painted spiders, 
I have done so in order to show the beautiful natural colours 
which, so often being changed or totally destroyed in spirit- 
specimens, have never been seen by the European authorities 
to whom collections have been sent from the East. Members 
of seventeen families have been discussed, but all the 
Mygalomorph spiders, the Thomisidse and Salticidae (Attidse), 
though commonly represented, I have in the present paper 
deliberately omitted. 
Madras, 
October 24, 1918. 
Uloboridae. 
Uloborus (Latr.), 1806. 
1. Uloborus geniculat us (Oliv.). 
This pretty grey and white spider is cosmopolitan in the 
Tropics, according to Simon, who has recorded it from Ceylon. 
McCook figured the web, cf. 'American Spiders' (i. figs. 
56, 57, 163), and the cocoon is accurately described by Simon, 
vol. i. page 213. The web is not laid horizontally, but 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 9. Vol. iv. 17 
222 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
almost vertically. The cocoon s about 7 mm. at greatest 
width, has from 6-10 lobes, and contains from 14-50 eggs. 
Thorell's account of the cocoon is incorrect as regards colour 
(page 127). Gravely in the 'Records of the Indian 
Museum/ xi. pages 533, 534, has noted the association of 
Uloborids with Siegodyphus sarasinorum, Psechrus alticeps, 
Cyrtophora cicatrosa, and O aster acantha hrevispina. I have 
seen U. geniculates associated with Nephila malabarensis. 
The spider is not a common one, and is never found in large 
numbers. I have usually got it within outhouses. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon (February), 3000 feet ; 
Kayencolam, Travancore (July) ; Elliot's Beach, Madras 
(August) ; High Court compound, Madras (February) ; 
Hillgrove, Nilgiria (May), 4200 feet ; Ennur (September). 
As I have found the cocoons present on each of these 
occasions, these must be made regularly throughout the year. 
The spider is thus widespread over South India, both on the 
plains and also on the hills. Not previously reported from 
South India. 
Psechridse. 
Psechrus (Thorell), 1878. 
2. Psechrus torvus (O. P.-Camb.) (PI. II. figs. 1, 2) 
comes out in the evenings and is nocturnal. Its web is 
large, of a- very dense white, often projecting from under a 
stone on the banks of the roadsides, and ends in a tubular 
retreat within which the brown spider lurks inverted. The 
web is not a true dome, cf. ' Cambridge Natural History/ 
iv. page 399, nor is it sheet-like, cf. Pocock, page 210. 
Pocock's figure, page 211, should be inverted, because the 
spider always moves inverted below its web. The calamis- 
trum is very short. 
P. torvus is very difficult to secure whole because of its 
very irregular and rapid movements on its web, cf. Simon, 
i. page 225. The dense white web which is sometimes quite 
big, as much as 2 feet at greatest length, is rivalled in its 
snowy whiteness by the smaller but similarly shaped web of 
the little Ischnothele dumicola (Poc), a Dipleurid reported 
from Poona by Wroughton. Both P. torvus and /. dumicola 
occur together on the road-banks of the upcountry tea estates 
round Nawalapitiya, Ceylon. The web of Ischnothele is 
much smaller than that of Psechrus, and differs from it in 
that the tubular retreat spreads out to form the snare as an 
expanded sheet, upon which the spider moves after its victim. 
South Indian Araclinology. 223 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon (February-May), 3000 
feet. P. torvus (O. P.-C.) belongs to Ceylon ; P. argentatus 
(Dol.) is Malayan, while P. alticeps (Poc.) is reported by 
Gravely from Cochin. 
(Ecobiidae. 
(Ecobius (Luc), 1845. 
3. (Ecobius sp. ? 
Quite recently, while on the hills, I found several spiders 
belonging to this group (family), which has only the single 
genus (Ecobius. These of both sexes were taken while 
running actively on the outside wall of the house or from the 
corners of the inside walls of the bath-room. They are small 
spiders (2 mm. long) and prettily marked with black on a 
pale ground. The cephalothorax dorsally edged with black, 
the ocular area is blackish, while the abdomen dorsally is 
black in front and elsewhere spotted in black. In the species 
now mentioned the eyes are of the usual type characteristic 
of the family, but in arrangement they are intermediate 
between the annulipes and concinnus groups mentioned by 
Simon (i. page 247). 
Locality. Coonoor, Nilgiris (April-May). Probably here 
first reported from India. 
Eresidse. 
Stegodyphus (Sim.), 1873. 
4. Stegodyphus sarasinorum (Karsch) 
is the common social spider found throughout South India. 
Mr. N. S. Jambunathan thirteen years ago published an 
account of it in the ' Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections.' 
This spider is found both in the plains and on the hills and 
always on bushes round the end branches where the colony is 
built. Opuntia on the plains and Dodonea and Berberis on 
the hills are often found bearing the web-masses, but the 
spider builds quite readily on the netting round tennis-courts. 
These web-masses are easily recognized yards away and are 
often several feet above the ground. Centrally the web-mass 
forms a spindle, about 6"x4" at the widest part, which is 
well aerated by many holes. Many threads, which are strong 
and viscid, connect up this spindle to the neighbouring- 
branches. Jambunathan gives 40-100 as the number of 
spiders found within one spindle. I have not found many 
17* 
224 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
above seventy. The web-mass has no definite architectural 
plan, and is very dirty and dusty and covered with the 
remains of victims, cf. flies, beetles, bugs, ants, grasshoppers, 
and dragonflies. 
The male is almost as large as the female. Both sexes are 
very inert when captured, and lie quite still if touched. They 
work only during the darkness. 
The web-mass or central spindle is the " large saccular 
nest" mentioned by Pocock. Many cocoons are present 
within the spindle, each measuring 6 mm. in diameter, as 
Jambunathan has already noted. The cocoons are white, 
densely spun and irregularly circular in outline, disc-shaped, 
and of one piece, which bursts in the middle when the young 
emerge. The number of eggs enclosed varies from 30-50 
almost. Gravely, in Rec. Ind. Mus. xi. plate 30, shows 
the nature of the web in detail. 
S. sarasinorum is tending to become a pest of tea in the 
Nilgiris, because the web-mass is woven closely round the 
tips of the branches of the tea-bushes, preventing the buds 
from developing and the tender leaves, gathered for tea- 
making, from forming. 
A planting friend who sent me the spiders had them 
named " Tea Mealy Bug/' He later sent me two cuttings 
of branches with the web-masses representing spiders from 
three bushes, 165 spiders in all, 128 ? , 36 <$ , and 57 cocoons. 
Jambunathan gives the proportion of the sexes as $ : $ : : 
7:1, but my result yields <$ : ? : : 1 : 3 roughly, with the 
$ much more numerous than the £ , as they always are. In 
the case now cited, 2 acres out of a 9-acre block were affected 
at a level of 4000 feet, and as the tea-bushes were planted 
2500 to the acre the number of spiders present must have 
been very great. Since the growth of the colonies is not 
rapid and the spiders can easily be removed by hand and 
destroyed, there does not seem any likelihood of the spider 
ever becoming a serious pest, unless sheer neglect allows 
Stegodyphus to get a firm hold. Stegodyphus sarasinorum is 
is the only spider I have met with as yet that can be con- 
sidered of economic importance. 
Locality. Madras city; Chingleput ; Pamban (April), 
the desert, sandy region in the extreme south next Ceylon. 
Within Madras it is found throughout the year and so 
probably for the whole of South India. Kotagiri (6000 feet) 
and Hillgrove (4000 feet) on the Nilgiris (April-July) ; 
Enivur (September). At the end of September, while 
ascending the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, I saw from the 
train the web-masses of S. sarasinorum at Kolar Station 
South Indian Arachnology. 225 
(1250 feet), near Adderley Station (2398 feet), and 'again 
near Hillgrove Station (3580 feet), but not above this level. 
These are the lower parts of the great Coonoor Ghaut. 
5. Stegodyphus sociah's (Poc). 
An allied species has been reported from Bangalore by 
Staunton. It is found on the Casuarina trees on Elliot's 
Beach, just south of Madras city. 
Sicariidse. 
Representatives of the genera Loxosceles and Scytodes are 
both found in South India, but are not common. 
Loxosceles (Lowe), 1831. 
6. Loxosceles erythrocephala (C. L. Koch) 
I have got as a house-spider, found at the bottom of a big 
glass vase within a cupboard. It was living on an irregular 
web covering the bottom of the vase and bearing remains of 
the victims. 
7. Loxosceles sp. ? 
A pair were found beneath a heavy box on the verandah 
among dust associating with Chelifers. 
Loxosceles is not reported from the East by Simon, cf. i. 
p. 273, but by Thorell, cf. p. 68. 
Locality. Madras city, all the year round within houses. 
Scytodes (Latr.), 1804. 
8. Scytodes gilva (Diciis gilva), Thor. 
Also met with as a house-spider, slender with long legs 
black at the joints. Web consists of a very irregular mass 
of threads. Both Loxosceles and Scytodes are nocturnal 
only. 
Locality. Madras city within bungalows all the year 
round. 
These genera are probably found only on the plains. I 
have seen none on the hills. 
S. marmorata (0. L. Koch) and S. pallida (Dol.) are 
Malayan. The latter lives within curled up leaves after the 
manner of Clubionids and Theridiids, cf. Sim. i. p. 276. 
Such Theridiids and Clubionids are common here on the 
226 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
Beach on the bushes there, but I have not yet found Scytodes 
living in this fashion. S. univittata (Sim.) is recorded 
from India. 
Prodidomida?. 
Zimiris (Sim.), 1882. 
9. Zimiris doriaH 
A very delicate, small, nocturnal spider, found always at 
night running on the walls of rooms within the bungalow. 
Entirely a house-spider and not at all common. Found often 
behind pictures on the walls, the web being just a few 
irregular threads on the back of the picture. Pair found 
together there, and as the male is said by Simon (i. p. 335) 
to be unknown, I give the^ following description : — 
J 1 . 2 mm. long j colours very much as in ? ; legs yellow 
and smooth j abdomen all round' in front furnished with 
short silvery hairs, which contrast with the grey colour of 
the abdomen itself. Spinnerets long and very much as 
in ? ; cephalothorax yellow-brown dorsally and quite 
smooth ; palps robust and the palpal organ brown where the 
chitin is thick. As might be expected, the palpal organ 
greatly resembles that found in Prodidomus, cf. Simon, 
i. p. 335. 
cJ caught running swiftly on the wall. When pursued it 
jumps like an Attid. When alive the colours are pale 
yellow, except the coxse, which are clear and almost trans- 
parent ; head and sternum clear ; abdomen light grey ; dark 
parts are the palpal organs, spinnerets, and feet, while the 
pair of front eyes are the darkest of all. Leg-span when at 
rest about 7 mm., almost twice this when extended. 
Simon records only one species from India, but does not 
give its name. Presumably it is this one. 
Locality. Madras city only, all the year round. Not 
obtained on the hills. Probably it is found throughout 
the plains. 
Drassidae. 
Of this very large and difficult family I have met with 
only two members : Drassodes lapidosus (or one of that 
group) sent me from Palghat and Leptodrassus sp. ? from 
within Madras city. 
South Indian Arachnology. 227 
Drassodes (Westr.), 1851. 
10. Drassodes lapidosus (Walck.) 
is taken by Simon as the type of his first group, cf. 
i. p. 359. My specimen agrees with the description there 
given and may be D. lapidosus itself, which is reported by 
Simon from Central and Eastern Asia. The eyes in my 
specimen are exactly as figured by Simon in fig. 319, which 
gives the arrangement for D. lapidosus. As the specimen 
was sent me among others I have no idea as to where it was 
found and when. 
Locality. Palghat (June). 
Leptodrassus (Sim.), 1378. 
11. Leptodrassus sp. ? 
agrees with Simon's description (i. p. 363) and with his 
figure of the eyes for Leptodrassus femineus (i. p. 355). The 
teeth on the chelicera are two in number also. The only 
specimens I have got were all found within white woolly 
tufts of silk under the ledges of the old lighthouse in the 
High Court compound, Madras. These spiders associate 
very closely with certain Attids. For, if the white mass be 
touched, usually the Attids emerge first and jump off, while 
the Drassid remains within its hollow. 
Locality. Madras city, all the year round. 
Zodariidae. 
Cryptothele (C. L. Koch), 1872. 
12. Cryptothele ceylonica (Camb.) 
was found along with a Theridiid whose irregular web 
was over a few dried leaves, on which the Theridiid was 
resting beside her cocoon. Cryptothele was the exact colour 
of the withered leaves. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon (March). 
Hersiliidae, 
Hersilia (Sav.), 1827. 
13. Hersilia savignyi (Luc). 
The only member of this family I have come across is 
Hersilia savignyi (Luc), which is common in Madras. 
228 Dr. W. Rae SherrirTs on 
Simon (L p. 445) states that Hersilia does not spin a web. 
Pocock (p. 240), however, is correct in saying Hersiliids spin 
at most a scanty web of irregular threads. I have seen 
H. savignyi, which is always found on tree-trunks, in the 
centre of a small circular web formed of very few threads 
with wide meshes. 
H. savignyi is extremely variable in colour, and it usually, 
but by no means always, resembles very much in colour the 
tree-trunk on which it is resting. Frequently you do not 
notice the spider till it moves. It varies from fawn to almost 
black, and I have seen on the same trunk at the same time 
both shades, the one practically invisible and the other 
extraordinarily conspicuous. 
Locality. Madras city, all the year round. Also from 
Carolina, Nilgiris, at 5600 feet. Not nearly so common on 
the hills as on the plains. 
Pholcidae. 
The three well-known species described by Pocock (pp. 
238-240) are common spiders. Artema atlanta, Smeringopus 
elongatus, and Crossopriza lyoni are all present in South India 
as ordinary house-spiders. 
Artema (Walck.), 1837. 
14. Artema atlanta (Walck.) 
has the well-known habit of swinging up and down very 
rapidly on its web when disturbed, probably to render itself 
less visible. Simon notes that the number of eggs is never 
considerable, but, though the usual number seems to be 
about 50, I have found close on 150. 
Locality. Madras city. 
Smeringopus (Sim.), 1890. 
15. Smeringopus elongatus (Vinson). 
The female was found carrying as usual her cocoon in her 
mandibles. The cocoon contained 76 eggs. The pair were 
taken from the same web and lived together captives in the 
same bottle for over a week. I have seen this spider in the 
position depicted by Simon for Mecolozsthus (fig. 439). 
Locality. Madras city (August) ; Nawalapitiya, Ceylon 
(April). 
South Indian Arachnology. 229 
(Jrossopriza (Sim.), 1893. 
16. Crossopriza lyoni (Black.). 
Its web lias sometimes a conical hollow, within which the 
spider rests inverted. 
All the three Pholcids are common either within houses or 
outside in the open, where they shelter under rocks or under 
the ledges of buildings. They are not at all common on 
the hills. 
Locality. Madras city (February-August). 
Theridiidse. 
Argyrodes (Sim.), 1864. 
The genus Argyrodes includes species usually considered 
parasitic on the webs of other spiders. These spiders are 
not really parasitic, but are commensals living at the same 
table as that of the much bigger Argiopid and securing frag- 
ments of its food. Argyrode sargentatus, A. Jissifrons, and 
A. argyrodes are found. 
17. Argyrodes argentatus (Camb.) 
are small silvery-backed spiders usually found on a few 
threads of their own at the back of the big web of an 
Argiopid. Argyrodes is most frequently got on the webs of 
Argiope, but also on those of Gaderacantha, Tetragnatha, 
Araneus, and Cyrtophora. The cocoon is very characteristic 
in shape and is always attached to withered stems some 
distance away from the big web. 
Locality. Madras city : common on webs on the trees of 
the Beach during the monsoon (October-January). 
18. Argyrodes jissifrons (O. P.-Camb.). 
Small red and white spiders with black legs, all from 
threads attached to the large web of Nephila malabarensis. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon. 
This species is said by Simon to be widespread in India 
and Malaysia, but I have seen it only in Ceylon. 
Argyrodes argyrodes is also reported by Simon (i. p. 501) 
to be common on the web of Cyrtophora citricola, but as yet 
I have seen neither of these. 
230 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
19. Argyrodes nigra (O. P.-Camb.)= Theridion nigrum 
(O. P.-Camb.) = Theridion oxyurum (Thor.). 
A very small black spider with yellow legs, found without 
any web on the back of a convolvulus-leaf ; very slow- 
moving, with the tips of the abdomen upturned ; accompanied 
on the same leaf by many small black ants which it 
closely resembled. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon. 
Argyrodes nigra is not an Argyrodes, but a Theridion. 
It is not a commensal like the others, both sexes of which 
are found together on the same big web. 
Theridion (Walck.), 1805. 
Theridion is a large genus represented by the following 
common species. 
20. Theridion mundulum (C. L. Koch) = T. am<£iium (Thor.). 
A very pretty little spider which I have found common on 
the Nilgiris with its very irregular web, near the centre of 
which is a withered leaf, below or within which the spider 
shelters itself. 
Locality. Kotagiri, Nilgiris (6000 feet) ; Madras Beach. 
21. Theridion rufipes (Luc) 
is found indoors, sheltering in the corners of bath-rooms. 
The pair are got together within the same small irregular 
web. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon ; Kayencolam, Tra- 
vancore. 
22. Theridion tepidariorum (C. L. Koch). 
Found within doors in corners of store-room, but also out- 
side in the open. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon ; Kotagiri, Nilgiris ; 
Madras city. 
These three species (T. mundulum, T. rufipes, and T. tepi- 
dariorum) are noted by Simon as having almost a worldwide 
distribution throughout the Tropics. 
Ariamnes (Thor.), 1869. 
23. Ariamnes sp.? 
I possess two specimens of an Ariamnes from Madras. 
One is a male and 4 mm. long. It may be A. gracillimus 
South Indian Arachnology . 231 
(Thor.), described by Tliorell from Burma. It is a very 
small delicate spider found on the bushes. The second is a 
female, but does not at all agree in proportions with Simon's 
illustration of the female of A. flagellum, cf. i. p. 498. It is 
only 4 mm. long also. 
Argiopidae. 
This huge family includes the numerous orb-weavers 
(Epeiridse). 
Tetragnatha (Latr.), 1804. 
24. Tetragnatha gracilis (Stol.). 
The small orb-web is said by Pocock to be always found 
over water, but this is not the case, for the spider and its 
web are often far from water, in such places as the wire- 
netting of the tennis court, doors of the bungalow, hedges, 
and bushes well away from water, as on the dry sandy beach 
of Madras. T. gracilis seems specially fond of making its 
web on the withered branches of spiky bushes. It is the 
smallest species mentioned by Poeock. The cocoon is a long, 
irregular, dark grey mass like a Rupert's drop in shape and 
is always attached to a withered branch. It is 30 mm. long 
and contained in the one examined 12 young spiders. 
Locality. Madras city ; Nilgiris at Kotagiri ; Madras 
Beach. 
25. Tetragnatha geniculata (Karsch) 
makes its big web always at sundown : the biggest of the 
three species mentioned by Pocock. Found on the hills with 
big webs over running water. 
Locality. Madras Beach ; Pykara, Nilgiris. 
26. Tetragnatha hasselti, var. birmanica (Thor.). 
Found on the bushes on the Beach associated with 
T. geniculata. 
27. Tetragnatha mandibulata (Walck.). 
Found on a bush overhanging a well. ? laid 250 eggs 
within the test-tube the same night on which she was taken. 
Eggs within a central mass with diameter 6 mm. covered by 
light grey silk. 
Locality. Madras city, Madras Beach ; Coonoor, Nilgiris 
(5600 feet). 
232 Dr. W. Kae Sherriffs on 
28. Tetragnatha sp. ? 
The commonest Tetragnathid I have discovered is one from 
Madras Beach. It greatly resembles T. geniculate but the 
jaws differ. Each mandible has at its junction with the fang 
a large spine projecting straight in front. 
The webs of Tetragnatha never have a stabilimentum. 
Eucta (Sim.), 1881. 
29. Eucta sp. ? 
Associated with the Tetragnathids from the Madras Beach 
are found specimens of a Eucta, which builds its big orb-web 
at sundown also. It is easily recognized not by its shape 
and coloration, but by the slightly upturned long tip of the 
abdomen. This species is probably Eucta caudicula (Karsch) 
reported from India by Simon, who, however, also records 
E. isidis which is common to Egypt as well as to India. 
The web of Eucta has no stabilimentum. 
Oksinome (Thor.), 1890. 
30. Orsinome marmorea (Poc). 
This spider I have met only once on the hills, where I 
was lucky enough to secure both sexes together. Simon 
(i. p. 733) remarks that he has no notes regarding its habits. 
The spiders are big (15 mm. ? , 10 mm. <$) and were found 
with their large orb-webs slung between bushes horizontally 
over swiftly running water. Each spider was at the centre 
of the web hanging inverted and almost touching the quickly 
flowing current. There is no stabilimentum on the web, 
which is almost a yard wide. Both sexes were thus found 
at noon on a dull misty day. Gravely has found them on 
the Cochin Ghauts at 1500 feet. At the same spot I found 
closely associated Tetragnatha geniculata, Araneus mitratus, 
one Argiope, and Cyclosa sp. The big webs of Orsinome 
and of Tetragnatha geniculata were spun horizontally over 
the water a distance of one yard. Orsinome hung lowest 
next the stream, then T. geniculata. Above were the ver- 
tically placed webs of A. mitrahis with the characteristic 
white stabilimentum, above these again the vertical webs of 
the Argiope, with those of Cyclosa at the top. All the webs 
depended from bushes growing at the. water side. 
In appearance the sexes of Orsinome greatly resemble each 
other in colour, the colours being much duller than in 
Leucavge. The <$ Orsinome is almost as big as the ? . 
Locality. Pykara Falls, Nilgiris (6000 ft.). 
South Indian Aracjinology . 233 
LEUCAUGE (White), 1841. 
Leucauge = Argyroepeira (Em.), 1884. 
31. Leucauge celebesiana (Walck.). 
Very common on its orb-web on almost any bush on the 
Nilgiris ; web slung horizontally between the branches or 
bushes, the spider hanging inverted below the centre of 
the web. 
Locality. Madras city; Nawalapitiya, Ceylon; Coonoor 
and Kotagiri, Nilgiris. 
32. Leucauge ditissima (Thor.). 
I have specimens resembling this species very much, but 
they have, when alive, on the abdomen three brilliant red 
dots which turn silvery after being kept in spirit. There is 
a pair of shoulder prominences. 
Locality. Peradeniya, Ceylon ; Kotagiri. This species I 
have not found on the plains. 
33. Leucauge argentata (0. P.-Camb.). 
Found on orb-web like that of L. celebesiana. 
Locality. Madras city ; Kotagiri, Nilgiris. Not pre- 
viously reported from South India. 
34. Leucauge ventralis (Thor.). 
Spider with long fore-legs stretched out in front, £ and $ 
found resting on a twig of a tea-bush to which came a thread 
from the orb- web close by, stretched out below and between 
tea-bushes. The cephalothorax and legs in the living speci- 
men are bright green. 
Locality. Dolosbage, Ceylon; Carolina, Nilgiris (5600 feet) ; 
previously reported from Burma only. 
35. Leucauge (Callinethis) elegans (Thor.) = Argyroepeira 
faatigata (Sim). 
Found on large orb-web between tea-bushes. ? laid eggs 
in the specimen-tube the day after her capture. There 
were 890 eggs within the cocoon. This species is easily 
recognized by the last pair of legs having a characteristic 
bushy pad of hairs on the distal half of each tibia. The 
fleecy cocoon measures 14 mm. and 5 mm. at greatest axes. 
Thejsilk is yellowish. 
234 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
Locality. Dolosbage, Ceylon (3000 feet). 
In no case has tlie web of a Leucauge any stabiliinentum. 
L. celebesiana is by far the commonest species. 
36. I have also specimens of a small, beautifully silvery 
Leucauge. Both the $ and ? were taken together from the 
centre of a small orb-web on the eaves of an outhouse. 
The ? has the abdomen dorsally beautifully marked in 
silver with a median line of chocolate-brown marks. <£ 
much more slender and not so silvery. 
Locality. Dolosbage, Ceylon ; Coonoor, Nilgiris. I have 
not met with this species on the plains. 
Nephila (Leach), 1815. 
37. Nephila (Nephilengys) malabarensis (Walck.). 
Webs big and very irregular. Spider remains in a corner 
of the window in a tubular retreat of the web, resting here 
inverted during the day. Two varieties found, one much 
darker than the other in colour and very closely resembling 
N. cruentatus (Fabr.) from Johannesburg. 
The compact egg-mass measures 19 X 11 x 19 mm. and is 
roughly egg-shaped. It shows very clearly through the 
loosely made outer wrapper of strong fibres. Total size of 
the fibrous cocoon is 30x16 mm. at greatest diameters. 
Number of eggs enclosed was 618, and the whole cocoon was 
attached to a withered leaf which had blown on to the web, 
which was on the outside of the bungalow window well up to 
the top of the glass panes. 
Argyrodes fisslfrons was found commensal on this web. 
These small red and white spiders with black legs greatly 
resemble the tiny males of N. malabarensis in size, shape, and 
colour, and probably benefit thereby. Many long, slender, 
black Cyclosa sp. were on their own webs close to the big one 
of JS T . malabarensis, while Uloborus geniculatus was also 
present on its own webs in the corners of the windows close 
to the big web. 
Locality. Dolosbage and Peradeniya Gardens, Ceylon. 
38. NepMla maculata (Fabr.). 
Got on its large orb-web on the roof of the verandah. A 
large, very handsome spider, but not so strikingly coloured as 
iV. malabarensis. 
Locality. Dolosbage, Ceylon. 
The webs of Nephila have no stabiliinentum present. 
South Indian Arachnology . 235 
Herennia (Thor.), 1877. 
39. Herennia ornatissima (Dol.). 
A single ? found at the centre of her web in bright sun- 
shine on a tree-trunk. No stabilimentum. 
Locality. Yercaud, Shevaroy Hills (4500 feet). I have 
not seen it elsewhere. 
Argiope (Sav.), 1827. 
Argiope lobata (Pallas) has been reported from Bellary by 
Simon and A. arcuata (Sim.) from Bangalore by Staunton, 
but I have seen neither of these as yet. 
40. Argiope anasuja (Thor.) (PI. III. figs. 3, 4; PI. IV. 
fig. 5) is by far the commonest species round Madras and in 
South India generally. The web, often suspended between 
adjoining branches, is a large orb-shaped one with a very charac- 
teristic stabilimentum in the form of four white zigzag lines 
making a St. Andrew's cross. The cross is not always com- 
plete, sometimes only one of the four lines being present. This 
stabilimentum usually begins with the top left part of the x or 
the whole left stroke of the x , then the top of the right stroke 
may be added, but the finished product is the regular x with 
the four parts all present. These white lines lie as continua- 
tions of the directions in which the spider holds its leg's, cf. 
Pocock, p. 221, and serve as distinct supports to the spider. 
The cocoon measures between 4 and 5 cm. in length. It 
is long, irregular, resembling a curled up withered leaf, 
cylindrical, tapering to each end, but swollen in the centre 
by the compact mass of yellow eggs enclosed. It is grey- 
green and when opened a single egg-case contained 840 egg?, 
another 186 young spiders. 
The specimen shown in the photos was picked off by a 
mynah (Acridotkeres tristis), corresponding to our starling, 
the torn web, cocoon, and the small commensal Argyrodes all 
being left. In this instance the circular part of the web 
was 10 inches in diameter and the white cross (stabilimentum) 
2'5 inches along each stroke of the x . 
A. anasuja is the smallest species mentioned by Pocock 
(p. 226). He gives no good way of distinguishing readily 
between the species A. pulchella, A. undulata, A. anasuja, 
and A. taprobanica, which are all closely allied forms. As 
several varieties of each species are known, a fact already 
pointed out by Gravely, and as Pocock in his key deals only 
with the ? , the various species will be much more easily 
determined once the <$ are described systematically. 
236 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
The £ A. anasuja is fairly common during- the cold 
weather along with the ? on the bushes of Madras Beach. 
It is very much smaller than the $ and of a plain brown- 
purple. I have noticed on the bushes (1) the tiny <$ on the 
same big web as the ? but at the respectful distance from 
her, (2) the $ on a small web of his own either in front of 
or behind and parallel to the big web, (3) two $ on the same 
web as the ? , (4) <$ on same web as ? but immediately 
behind her. The male measures 4 mm. and the female 
12 mm. Simon (i. p. 765) gives the size of the male as 
one-fifth that of the ? . 
The small immature ? are often found, each on a small 
web of her own which has no stabilimentum proper, but 
sometimes the central part of the web is marked by a white 
lacewoik of stronger threads in the centre, against which the 
spider rests. 
The mature ? is always found upon the stabilimentum at 
the centre of the vertical web head downwards. When 
alarmed she always raises her body outwards from the web, 
and then suddenly pops through the hole at the centre of the 
web behind her to the other side. 
Locality. Madras city and Beach ; Chingleput. Seen 
but seldom on the Nilgiris at Kotagiri. 
The small commensals Argyrodes argentatus common on 
the big webs of the ? sometimes come close up to and touch 
the big Argiope's leg, which she quickly moves away. She 
does not attack the small silvery intruder, which probably 
has very limited vision. 
41. Argiope taprobanica (Thor.). 
Very like A. anasuja in colour and appearance, and has 
the same type of stabilimentum. Its cocoon, however, is light 
green and triangular in outline, enclosing the compact 
central mass of eggs. Each side of the cocoon measures 
about 4'5 cm. Probably the distinctive shape of the cocoon 
may be helpful as here in distinguishing the species and so 
in other cases. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon. 
42. Argiope cemula (Walck.). 
Easily recognized because its abdomen is not pentagonal 
in outline. 
Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon. 
Pocock in * Marvels of the Universe ' (Hutchinson & Co.) 
calls Argiope by the trivial name of the X-ray spider. He 
South Indian Arachnology. 237 
considers that the white ribbons of the stabilimentum conceal 
the spider's limbs from flies and also from marauding wasps. 
To my mind they serve only as a background which shows up 
the spider's limbs. The white may attract flies, but the 
ribbons are essentially a central support for the body of the 
spider, which remains on it throughout the day full in the 
sun's rays. 
Cyrtophoea (Sim.), 1864. 
43. Cyrtophora [Araneus] cicatrosa (Stol.). (PI. IV. fi<>\ 6.) 
Spider found within a wonderfully fine web, which is 
roughly conical but may have several stages below the dome. 
This web commonly hangs under bushes of Opuntia or 
Yucca. Cyrtophora cicatrosa itself is beautifully coloured, 
dainty, and hangs downwards at the apex of the inverted 
bowl of the web. The cocoons are suspended vertieally 
above the dome and external to it, all in line. They are 
whitish, but show up green in spirit. Gravely reports having 
found these spiders in communities with their webs, but 
I have got them always quite apart, each spider within its 
own web. The commensal Argyrodes argentatus is present 
occasionally. 
The cocoon is 5 mm. long, bead-shaped, oval in outline 
with the inner coat very strong. I have found 20 youn°- 
within the cocoon. The spider keeps adding to the number 
of cocoons, which therefore varies greatly. In the photo 
there were at first 3, then 7, and I have seen as many as 12 
all in line. 
The diameter of the base of the dome is usually about 
6 inches. Ceylon specimens are much darker in their 
markings than the Madras ones ; the colour of their cocoon 
is also deeper in shade. 
Locality. Madras, Ennur, Pallavaram ; Dolosbao-e 
Ceylon ; Kayencolam, Travancore. 
This spider is not reported from Ceylon by Pocock. He 
classes Cyrtophora with Araneus, considering that no very 
important or constant character separates the two genera. 
I agree with Simon (i. p. 773) that being so very different 
in the form of their webs, which recall those of Linypliiu, 
that it is therefore convenient to keep the two separate. 
The genus Araneus, in the limited sense, contains already 
some 800 described species. 
Cyrtophora citricola (Forsk). 
This, the type-species, is very widely distributed. It has 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 9. Vol. iv. 18 
238 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
been reported from Chingleput by Jambunathan, but I have 
not met with it as yet. 
44. Cyrtophora sp. 
I have also a very small Cyrtophora about 4 mm. long, 
the only one I have seen on the hills. Both sexes are very 
similar in size, shape, and colour, abdomen blackish with 
small white dots at sides ; but unfortunately the two males 
obtained are immature, thus rendering identification im- 
possible. Both $ and ? make the same type of web as 
C. cicatrosa, but the <J web is less perfect. _ Spider rests 
under the top sheet of the web inverted as in the case of 
C. cicatrosa. No cocoons got. 
Locality. Carolina Estate, Coonoor, Nilgiris (April). 
i — t — — , 
45. Cy closa insulana (Gostn) = < Epeira anseripes (Walck.) 
Cyclosa (Menge), 1866. 
Epeiratrituberculata (Lucas) 
Epeira anseripes (Walck/ 
Cyclosa propinqua (Sim.) 
is the commonest form both on the hills and on the plains. 
It is most variable in colour and in shape also. As regards 
the web, Simon (i. p. 782) remarks that the stabilimentum 
varies according to the species and that C. insulana and 
nearly related forms have the white lines arranged like that 
of C. conica (Pallas) as a band interrupted at the centre, 
while C. bifida (Dol.) has the stabilimentum in the form of 
several very irregular concentric circles, or more correctly 
ellipses. 
At Kotagiri, on the Nilgiris, Cyclosce are very common, 
and I carefully collected from the webs, noting specially the 
form of the white stabilimentum. I find that the shape is 
not by any means constant for the species. C. insulana has 
most often the stabilimentum as a diameter, but also as 
elliptical lines, as a radius, a very small irregular white mass 
at the centre of the orb-web, or again no stabilimentum of 
any kind. 
Though this species is by far the most common, I have no 
record of its cocoons. 
Locality. Madras city, Madras Beach, Pallavaram ; 
Kotagiri and Coonoor, Nilgiris ; Dolosbage, Ceylon. 
46. Cyclosa bifida (Dol.) . 
I have several long, slender, almost entirely black speci- 
mens which are either this species or a closely allied one. 
South Indian Araehnology, 239 
These are common on the Nilgiris and also upcountry in 
Ceylon. The Nilgiri forms had the stabilimentum as a 
single white line as diameter or none, while the Ceylon ones 
always had none. 
Locality. Kotagiri, Nilgiris ; Dolosbage, Ceylon. 
47. Cyclom hybophora (Thor.) 
is recognized by the two very distinct tubercles on the 
shoulders of the abdomen. The cocoons here are about 
4 mm. long. There were four of them, each containing 
about fifty eggs. These cocoons are attached to the stabili- 
mentum, which, in this case, was a white line placed as a 
radius to the circle of the orb-web. 
Locality. Madras Beach, Ennur ; Kotagiri, Nilgiris. 
A white Cyclosa (PI. V. fig. 7) which I obtained in Ceylon 
has these two shoulder prominences and is probably merely a 
variety of this species. It had the white ribbon of the stabili- 
mentum as diameter with nine cocoons arranged along it. 
These were about 5 mm. long and recalled in shape those of 
Cyrtophora. They contained about thirty eggs in each. 
Locality. Dolosbage, Ceylon. 
48. Cyclosa mulmeinensis (Thor.). 
I have several examples of a beautiful little Cyclosa which 
seems to be this species. All were found on orb-webs with 
the stabilimentum as a radius only. The cocoons are yellow- 
brown covered with black debris, and as many as five are 
found within one outer case which is from 10 to 15 mm. 
long. Each cocoon contains some forty eggs. Each cocoon- 
case lies along the stabilimentum. 
The males and immature females have small separate orb- 
webs of their own, apart from the others. In such cases 
each spider is found at the centre of the web and there is no 
stabilimentum. In one case the ? was at the centre of her 
web resting on a whitish mass of threads (stabilimentum), to 
which a single yellow-brown cocoon was attached. These 
cocoons are evidently formed singly and then united into one 
mass later on. In the case above examined, where there were 
five cocoons within the mass, the first two contained spider- 
lings almost ready to leave the cocoon, the third very 
immature spiderlings and the last two eggs only. 
Locality. Ootacamund, Nilgiris (September). 
From the Nilgiris I have several species or varieties which 
as yet I have been unable to identify. Some are distinctly 
brown in colour, others have a pale tip to the long abdomen 
18* 
240 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
while others again, mostly black, have the curious habit on 
the web of keeping the slender tip of the abdomen upturned 
over the body dorsal ly. 
Where the stabilimentum is present, it always soon gets 
dirty with remains of victims. The spider on it is very often 
unrecognizable, even when closely looked for — it matches in 
colour the white band so well. This was particularly the 
case with the Ceylon Cyclosa above mentioned. 
From Pykara Falls, Nilgiris, I found several forms with 
webs on the bushes near running water. There were no 
stabilimenta and the spider was silvery on the abdomen 
dorsally and had the tip of the abdomen upturned. The 
shape is not nearly so slender as in the case of the long 
narrow Ceylon forms (C. bifida?). 
ARANEUS (Clerck), 17 57 = Epetra (Walck.), 1805. 
49. Araneus laglazei (Sim.). 
A small spider, 6 mm. long, resembling a bird's dropping 
on a leaf. Found on a twig near the orb- web, which is about 
9 inches diain. and had very wide meshes, but no stabili- 
mentum. Spider is dark grey, almost black, with the 
abdomen whitish dorsally. 
Locality. Madras city (previously reported from Ootaca- 
mund) ; Kotagiri, Coonoor, Pykara, Nilgiris. Common in 
and around Ootacamund (September). 
50. Araneus theisii (Walck.). 
Found resting by day under a withered bracken leaf, 
which it greatly resembled in colour, on the golf course at 
Kotagiri. Found on Madras Beach on a leaf of Abutilon. 
A very inert spider, veiy like A. nauticus, but smaller and 
the sternum is all dark, almost black. The dorsal pattern of 
the abdomen is very pretty, almost constant, and probably 
characteristic. Found near orb-web in evening resting on 
a grass-stem. 
Locality. Madras Beach ; Kotagiri and Ootacamund, 
Nilgiris. 
51. Araneus nauticus (Koch, L. K.) = A. pullata (Thor.). 
(Pi. V. fig. 8.) 
Lies hid during the day within a withered leaf. Found 
in the train from Talaimanaar to Colombo. At dusk it 
emerged and made its web in the compartment. When 
touched it retired into a crevice on (he roof. 
Locality. Kotagiri. Dolosbage, Ceylon. 
South Indian Arachnology. 241 
52. Araneus rumpfi (Thor.)=^. decens (Thor.) = 
A. hispida (Dol.) = /J. rufofemorata (Sim.) 
is the commonest species, and greatly resembles A. 
naulicus in colour and markings. It is very common on 
Calotropis gigantea on Madras Beach. The cocoon is very 
loosely woven and flocculent in appearance, no stout outer 
covering being present. The eggs enclosed within one 
cocoon examined numbered 1464. These cocoons are very 
common on the golt' course at Kotagiri and also on the banks 
at the road-sides attached to twigs. 
This species is very fond of making its web against the 
wall of the house at dusk, then taking up its position in the 
centre ot the web with its back to the wall. During the day 
it rests in one corner, to which a strand of the web leads. It 
is very inert when gently handled. If smartly touched this 
spider drops at once to the ground on its own thread, and if 
not further molested, after a short time, it climbs up again to 
the old position. 
At the centre of the web, over which the spider places itself, 
there is sometimes a small white mass of thickened thread, 
which cannot be considered as being of the nature of a 
stabilimentum. 
A. rumpfi is extremely variable in colour and markings on 
the dorsal surface of the abdomen. 
Locality. Madras city ; Hillgrove, Coonoor and Kotagiri 
on the Nilgiris. 
53. Araneus bilunifer ? (Poc). 
With two small very conspicuous white circular spots 
on the front part of the abdomen dorsally. This species 
resembles A. rumpfi in its vulva and scape, and has the same 
habits as A. rumpfi and A. nauticus, being found with its 
web under the eaves of the verandah. It rests in the corner 
of the verandah during the day. The presence of the two 
conspicuous spots alone connects it with Pocock's species 
bilunifer, for it differs from his description in having no 
shoulder processes on the abdomen, in the prevailing colour 
not being yellowish but dark grey, in the nature of the vulva, 
and in its size, for it is only 11 mm. long and quite adult. 
Locality. "Carolina," Coonoor, Nilgiris. 
54. Araneus mitratus (Sim.). 
$ resembles a small Cyrtophora citiicola at first sight, but 
the posterior exlremiiy is not bifid, and there is only a single 
242 Dr. W. Rae Slierriffs on 
pair of shoulder prominences on the abdomen. The vuiva 
has a particularly long, fine, slender scape. 
$ found all on orb-webs, which have a very faint stabili- 
mentum arranged as one diagonal or one stroke of the x of 
Argiope's, web, the stroke from light to left. All were found 
resting at the centre of the webs at 11 A.M. These webs 
were all on the banks at the road-sides and were all in the 
shade. The spiders keep always behind the web and the 
bank. The white stabilimentum may be found arranged 
vertically ; webs found over running water between bushes. 
<$ found at 5 P.M. on a small perfect orb-web of his own. 
The web-strands completely crossed over the hill-path, a 
distance of some 5 feet. Spider was at the centre of the web, 
which had no stabilimentum. Is this the spider whose 
threads catch your face so frequently in the dark as you pass 
along the path ? 
Sometimes the webs have no stabilimentum. They are 
always above the ground, often as much as 5 feet, suspended 
between the brandies of bushes and of trees. 
Locality. Coonoor, Karteri, Kodanad, Kotagiri, Pykara, 
and Ootacamund, all on the Nilgiris. 
55. Araneus miiifica (Sim.). 
A beautiful green spider with the abdomen dorsally grey, 
marked prettily with characteristic black spots. Found 
always on the leaf of a hedge with the orb-web near by. The 
spider rests on the leaf under a light silk tunnel, and then 
rushes out when a victim alights on the orb-web, which, if 
damaged, is repaired every now and then. Found on 
Lantana frequently and other bushes. Interesting, as thus 
having the same habits as A. melanocrania. 
Locality. Madras city ; Kotagiri. 
56. Araneus (Zilla) melanocrania (Thor.). 
Web is a small orb, but the spider never takes up its 
position on the web, but always within a curled up leaf close 
by* The small cocoon is fixed near the leaf, within which 
the spider rests, or may be sometimes actually within the leaf 
beside the spider herself. 
The cocoon is 6 mm. at greatest diameter. The one I 
opened contained 125 eggs, besides young spiders. There is 
no stout outer covering to the cocoon, which consists simply 
of fine yellow threads lightly woven together. 
The small size of the spider, its blackish head, reddish 
South Indian Arachnology. 243 
thoracic parts and legs, and the dorsally whitish porcellanous 
abdomen make the species easily recognisable. 
Locality. Madras city, very common on bushes on the 
Beach. 
57. Araneus, sp. nov. ? 
Small spider only 3 mm. long, very like A. laglazei in 
appearance, but with the abdomen terminating dorsally in a 
very distinct, black, smooth, blunt point. Found at the 
centre of the small orb-web. 
Locality, Chingleput ; Madias city. 
58. Araneus, sp. nov. ? 
Very pretty orb-weavers found commonly on the Nilgiiis 
with the web always over running water. The spider is 
always at the centre of the web in the evening, when the web 
is made. The spiders are quite small, 3 mm. long, and are 
beautifully marked. The basal colour is a green-grey. 
The cephalothorax has dark bands down the centre dorsally 
and round the margins. The abdomen dorsally is darker 
down the mid-dorsal line and again at the sides, while 
below it is black with two distinct straight white lines a little 
to each side of the mid-ventral axis. These two lines run 
from each side of the vulva to the mamillse and enclose a 
black area. The sternum is black and the grey-green legs 
banded with black. In spirit the lighter dorsal parts of the 
abdomen appear silvery. Vulva without scape. They greatly 
resemble young Orsinome. 
Locality. Throughout the Nilgiiis. 
59. Araneus, sp. nov. ? 
Found on a lichen-covered wall, small, only 3 mm. long. 
Shoulder prominences huge in proportion to the other parts. 
Vulva without scape. 
Locality. Madras city. 
60. Araneus, sp. nov. ? 
Common as a house-spider within the bungalow, lodging 
especially on the wooden roof. The cocoons are of the usual 
white flocculent type, and are very conspicuous against the 
dark teak beams. Each cocoon measures 5 mm. in diameter, 
and is roughly globular. The cocoon contains 50 eggs. 
The spider is 5 mm. long with the cephalothorax reddish 
244 Dr. W. Kae Sherriffs on 
yellow, red-brown round the eyes ; legs similar, but banded 
with dark brown ; abdomen dorsally dark grey, ventrally 
lighter in front around the genital opening ; sternum pale 
fawn and so also are the coxse. The vulva is covered by 
a triangular hard yellow chitinous plate (epigyne), the two 
central thick parts being brown ; scape absent. 
Locality. Madras city. 
Pocock's key to the species selected by him (cf. p. 224) is 
based entirely on the characters of the ?,no j being men- 
tioned in his account. A proper key will not be forthcoming 
until the S have all been found and described. Below I 
give a brief description of two of the males, viz. those of 
A. rumpfi, the commonest species of South India, and 
of A. mitratxiSj which I got on the Nilgiris. 
Description of A. rumpfi, <$ . 
Colours much as in the $ , carapace brown with yellowish 
hairs ; legs brownish with darker annulations ; sternum light 
yellow ; abdomen dorsally varied with light and dark grey 
marks to form a median light band with a darker band on 
each side tapering at the tip behind ; front and sides of abdo- 
men light yellow or grey ; abdomen ventrally pale yellow 
with darker spots at. the centre and at the spinnerets. Only 
the coxse of the first legs have the small red-brown apophyses, 
which are incurved. The tibiae of tjie second pair of legs 
are armed with small spines as usual. 
The male is not so much smaller than the female 
(10-15 mm.), for it measures 8 mm., the carapace being as 
long as the abdomen. 
Description of A. mitratus, <$ . 
It greatly resembles the female in general form and colour, 
but is smaller ( $ 7 mm. long, <$ 3 mm.). Both have a 
conspicuous white St. Andrew's cross at the front end of the 
abdomen dorsally between the shoulder points, and on the 
ventral side of the abdomen there is a median rectangular 
black area bordered by lighter lines and ending in a pair of 
light spots on each side just in front of the spinnerets. The 
male examined was immature. 
Gasteracantha (Suncl.), 1833. 
61. Gasteracantha brevispina (Dol.). 
A very pretty, dainty, small spider on a large web at its 
oentre without any stabilimentum. The young are only 
South Indian Arachnology. 245 
1*5 mm. at greatest width across the abdomen. The colour 
is almost black, and on the abdomen dorsally there are very- 
distinct white spots forming a St. George's cross. The colour- 
scheme greatly resembles that in the male of G. geminata, 
and the young are found on very small simple orb-webs 
about 3 inches diam. without any stabilimenta or white clots. 
Locality. Madras city ; Dolosbage, Ceylon. 
62. Go steracantha geminata (Fabr.). 
Larger and much more common than the above. The 
web is made against the wall of the bungalow or else out in 
the open between the branches of trees. Often the web is 
found well under the shade of trees, and as it is swung on 
very long threads it moves very easily in the breeze and is 
therefore very difficult to photograph successfully. The main 
lines of the web are flecked out with little white dots and 
dashes, which are quite characteristic. The spider remains 
always at the centre of the web during the day. The web of 
G. brevispina is much smaller and finer, and has no white 
marks anywhere upon it. Both species spin their webs in 
the mornings before 7 o'clock. 
The <$ G. geminata seem to rest on single threads only at 
some distance from the large web of the $ . The commensal 
Argyrodes argentatus is quite common on the big web of 
the ? in Madras city during February. One point of interest 
is that the $ of G. geminata has not the same number of 
sigillse as depicted by Simon in rig. 887. He shows three 
small on each side, but there are really four. I have also 
found the <$ on small complete orb-webs of their own, quite 
apart from the big one of the ? , the diameter of their webs 
being only about o". 
Locality. Madras city and Beach. Dolosbage, Ceylon. 
Poltys (C. L. Koch), 1843. 
63. Poltys illepidus (C. L. Koch). 
Nocturnal spider, caught by chance in the dark. So far 
as I know it has no web. In the twilight I saw it dimly 
outlined among creepers and seized it, thinking it was a fruit. 
It was lying among withered branches and leaves on the top 
of the tennis netting, where it probably rests during the day. 
Locality. Madras city. Previously reported only from 
Ceylon. 
246 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
Chorizopes (Carab.), 1870. 
64. Chorizopes frontalis (Cainb.). 
These miuute spiders, only 2 mm. long, were got all from 
single threads along with the <$ Gasteracantha geminata 
from bushes. Both Chorizopes and Gasteracantha <$ greatly 
resemble each other, but the $ Gasteracantha is twice the 
size of Chorizopes and has of course its own distinctive 
features. Simon reports (i. p. 922) never having noticed 
the web, which is usually a small perfect orb about 2" diam. 
All rest in the centre of the webs, which, like those of Gastera- 
cantha, are all made in the mornings. 
Locality. Madras city. 
Clubionidse. 
(Edignatha (Thor.), 1881. 
65. (Edignatha retusa (Sim.). (PI. VI. fig. 9.) 
Very dark little spider, dug out from its burrow in the hill- 
side. The mouth of the burrow has no web leading to it, but 
has the entrance curiously formed of twigs, leaves, straws, 
etc., filled round the central circular opening to form a small 
turret. A small cocoon containing a very few eggs was 
found within the tunnel. This complex type of dwelling is 
quite unusual among the Clubionids, and resembles very 
much what I found on the Nilgiris, where on the" banks at the 
road-sides there was a similar opening (PI. VI. fig. 10) (to 
the burrow of a Mygalomorphid), which was of course much 
larger in size, measuring 10 mm. in diameter. Dwelling 
described by Simon (ii. p. 189). 
Locality. Dolosbage, Ceylon (May). 
Selenops (Latr.), 1819. 
&6. Selenops radiatus (Latr.). 
Found within kitchen ; very flat spider ; nocturnal. 
Locality. Kotagiri, Nilgiris. 
67. Selenops sp. ? 
Found under the bark of trees associating with the small 
scorpion Isometrus thurstoni, which it greatly resembles in 
colour and markings. 
Jjocality. Yercaud, Shevaroy Hills. 
South Indian Arachnology. 247 
Sparassus (Walck.), 1805. 
68. Sparassus lamarcki (Latr.) 
is the commonest species ; found often within the bunga- 
low at night. Abdomen is marked dorsally by a median line 
of small black dots and ventrally by a broad black median 
stripe. The mandibles have also at the top of each to the 
outside a characteristically red-brown spot. Outside in the 
open the spider during the day retires under the shade 
of a leaf. 
I have found the female with her cocoon attached to a 
withered leaf of Calotropis yigantea on Madras Beach. The 
globular mass of spiderlings measured 14 mm. in diameter, 
and was fastened to the leaf under a stout tubular outer cover, 
which protected the spider as well. There were 340 young 
spiders within the cocoon. 
Locality. Madias city. 
69. Sparassus tarandus (Sim.). 
There are a large number of Sparassids on Calotropis that 
are much smaller than S. lamarcki ( ? 10 mm., <$ 7 mm.). 
These live within a curled up leaf, within which the simple 
globular cocoon is placed. The cocoon measures 6 mm. in 
diameter and contained 115 young. Often found within a 
withered leaf containing the cocoon. 
Locality, Madras city and Beach. 
Heteropoda (Latr.), 1804. 
70. Heteropoda venatoria (Linn.) 
is the common species and is often met with in houses 
after dark. The cocoon is drab-white and measures 19x16 
mm., being roughly oval in outline ; in thickness at greatest 
depth it is 8 mm. The cocoon resembles a flat button, in 
section doubly convex. It contained 275 young ones. 
Locality. Madras city ; Kotagiri, Nilgiris. 
Thelcticopis (Karsch.), 1884. 
71. Thelcticopis paripes ? (Karsch). 
A single male alone obtained. It agrees with Pocock's 
description in having the branches of the tibial apophysis 
unequal, but here the outer branch is long, curved, and sharp, 
248 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
while the inner is short and blunt. Possibly Pocock may 
have erred in his account. 
Locality. Koyencolam, Travancore. Previously reported 
from Ceylon. 
Agelenidae. 
Agelena (Walck.), 1805. 
72. Agelena inda? (PI. VI. fig. 11.; 
From the nature of the web this is seemingly a colonial 
spider. The web is always on a bush — hill guava (Rhodo- 
myrtus), Dodonea viscosa, box, rose, privet, and very 
commonly on whin, — and has a distinct platform upon 
which victims alight. The spider itself lies hid in the 
densest central part of the web-mass, often within a curled 
up withered leaf, the inside of which is lined by the silk of 
the web. The cocoon is beautifully made and is attached 
to the walls of the central chamber of the web by 9 or 10 
radiating points. The cocoon is a dead-white and can often 
be seen through the thin silk of the web, especially when the 
web is not covered with debris. Sometimes three cocoons 
are found all covered over with the debris of victims, of. 
beetles, bugs, and flies. 
Simon reports only one species of Ayelena from India, 
cf. Agelena inda, which may be this one. The cocoon is so 
very unlike the typical one for the family as to be quite 
peculiar and interesting. It measures .15 mm. at greatest 
width and contained 52 young spiders. It has a very dense 
white outer covering. Simon (ii. p. 254) refers to the 
female depositing her cocoon, which is flat and formed of two 
concave discs, within the chamber which I have described 
above as the cocoon itself. I have examined several of these 
cocoons, and have found inside the mass of spiderlings 
enclosed within a single sheet of very thin tissue only. The 
web-mass consists of several leaves fastened together. Quite 
recently when in Coorg I found the cocoon within the cocoon- 
chamber as described above by Simon. 
Since Agelenids are very rare in the Tropics, this is pro- 
bably accounted for by the fact that they are found only on 
the hills above 3500 feet. Small Blattids and earwigs often 
live in the web-mass, which may harbour two spiders. 
Locality. Kotagiri, Coonoor and Ootacauiund, all on the 
Nilgiris. The spider is very common on whin-bushes in and 
around Ootacamund at 7200 feet (April-October). Not 
found on the plains. 
South Indian Arachnology. 249 
Tegenaria (Latr.), 1804. 
73. Tegenaria domestica (Clerck). 
This common British species is now worldwide in distri- 
bution. I found one male on the window curtain of the 
dining-room of the bungalow one afternoon. 
Locality. Kandaloya, Ceylon. Not commonly found in 
the Tropics. 
Pisauridse. 
EUPROSTHENOPS (Poc), 1897. ' 
74. Euprosthenops ellioti (0. P.-Camb.). 
From the web stretched between prickly-pear {Opuntia) 
bushes not far from the side of the River Adyar. The spider 
lived for several days inside a tube which had some formalin 
in it. The peculiar arrangement of the anterior lateral eyes, 
giving the old name Podophthalma to the group, makes 
identification simple. Web is large and very irregular, the 
spider resting inverted below it, cf. Psechrus. 
Locality. Madras city, banks of the Adyar. Already 
reported from Chingleput by Jambunathan. The spider is 
said to be found on bushes only near water. 
Thalassius (Sim.), 1885. 
75. Thalassius phipsoni (?) (F. Camb.). 
Found running across bedroom floor at 10 P.M. Spider is 
therefore nocturnal, characterised by two very distinct, lateral, 
bright yellow lines passing right down the cephalothoiax and 
abdomen dorsally. Rest of the surface olive. 
Locality. Madras city. 
Lycosidae. 
HiPPASA (Sim.), 1885. 
76. Hippasa agelenoides (Sim.). 
Seems to be the common small Lycosid found on its 
peculiar web among the grass of the compound and at the 
road-sides. It is a small banded spider, from 7 to 11 mm. 
long, and is fond of making its web with a distinct tunnel. 
Very often it is got resting within the tunnel awaiting a 
victim to alight on the sheet-like expansion of the web. 
The tunnel is open at both ends, The mother carries her 
250 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 
cocoon behind attached to the spinnerets, as in all Lycosids. 
The cocoon measures 5 mm. in diameter and is globular. I 
have found it containing 130 spiderlings. 
Locality. Madras city. 
77. Hippasa pantherina (Poc.) 
is equally common and has the same habits. It is a larger 
spider reaching 16 mm. Both species greatly resemble each 
other, and both have the sternum marked by a median black 
longitudinal line. Here the cocoon measures 8 mm. in 
diameter and I have found it with 308 spiderlings. 
Locality. Pallavaram ; Dolosbage, Ceylon ; Kotagiri, 
Nilgiris. 
Lycosa (Latr.), 1804. 
78. Lycosa indagatrix (Walck.) 
is the largest form. It is found living in tunnels or 
burrows in the ground, measuring 20 mm. diameter and 
about 200 mm. deep. This tube is not lined with silk, but 
the open upper end has a circlet of dead leaves around it and 
entering it. There may be a lining of silk round the upper- 
part of the tube next the mouth. The leaves greatly help to 
conceal the opening. Sometimes one leaf acts as a kind of 
lid to the tube. The tube is always open, but the spiders are 
purely nocturnal and have to be dug out during the daytime. 
The young ones seem to lie concealed under the shelter of 
stones and do not make small burrows. 
Locality. Madras city, Ennur. 
79. Lycosa catula (Sim.). 
A cryptozoic spider found lurking under dead leaves lying 
in the dry bed of a hill-stream. 
Locality. Shevaroy Hills, Yercaud. 
80. Lycosa chaperi (Sim.). 
A small form brought home from the Madras Christian 
College. 
Locality. Madras city. 
Oxyopidae. 
Peucetia (Thor.), 1870. 
81. Peucetia graminea (Poc). 
Found on the top of the fruit of Abutilon (Malvaceae) and 
South Indian Arachnology. 251 
also on the withered leaf of Jatropha (Euphorbiacese) which 
had attached to it the empty cocoon measuring about 10 mm. 
in diameter. 
Locality. Madras city and beacli ; Kotagiri, Nilgiris. 
82. Peucetia viridana (Stol.)=P. nigropunctata (Sim.). 
Found on a green leaf eating a caterpillar, on the large 
white flower of Datura, on Jatropha, and on the fruit of 
Abutilon indicum. The cocoon was on the Abut Hon fruit, 
the eggs being covered by a compact tissue of silk, through 
which they are easily seen. Number of eggs present was 
fifty and the diameter of the egg-mass 10 mm., for it is 
circular in outline. Cocoon also found attached to the leaf 
of Cleome viscosa and guarded by the mother. It is white, 
spherical, diameter 7 mm., and the outer covering is produced 
into numerous white, projecting, little blunt points which give 
it a very characteristic appearance. 
Locality. Madras city, Pallavaram. 
Pocock, p. 255, designates the family as " hunting spiders, 
spinning no web, living amongst grass and other plants and 
fastening their cocoons to the leaves or stalks." This 
description is quite good, but he omits the interesting fact 
that they all can jump readily, like the next family, the 
Attids, and are therefore somewhat difficult to catch. 
Simon (ii. p. 375) says that the Peucetia appear to affect 
glandular plants. They do so here and seem specially fond 
of Jatropha glandulifera, a very sticky plant, plentiful in the 
scrub-jungle around Madras city. I have also noticed them 
on Cleome viscosa, which is a common weed by the road-sides 
and on the Beach. 
Oxyopes (Latr.), 1804. 
83. Oxyopes rufislemis (Poc). 
Commonly found running on hedges of Clerodendron, etc., 
throughout the year. 
Locality. Madras city ; Dolosbage, Ceylon (May). 
84. Oxyopes hindostantcus (Poc). 
The cocoon is placed on a withered leaf suspended on 
horizontal threads between two branches. The mother 
protects the cocoon, covering it with her body, and will not 
desert it even when touched. The spider greatly resembles 
birds' droppings on the leaf, the legs being held close up to 
the sides of the body. This species is the commonest in 
252 On South Indian Arachnology. 
Madras. The cocoon on or within a withered leaf measures 
10 mm. and contains 50-60 eggs. Common on Calotropis 
along the Beach. Oxyopes hindoxtanicua 1 have f'oun I eating 
the comparatively large moth Utetheha pulchella (Linn.). 
Locality. Madras city ; Kotagiri, where they are common 
among dead leaves on the ground ; Coonoor. 
85. Oxyopes birmanicus (Thor.). 
Found like 0. rufisternis running on the hedge in the 
compound. The cocoon is placed within a withered curled 
up leaf. It is irregular in form and was found to contain in 
one case 40 spiderlings, in another instance the circular mass 
of eggs measured 8 mm. diameter and contained 104 eggs. 
Locality. Madras city. 
86. Oxyopes wrouylitoni (Poc). 
Reported from Balsar. It greatly resembles O. birmanicus 
in colour. 
Literature Consulted. 
1857. Dolesciiall, C. L. Tweede Bijdrage Tot de kennis der 
Arachniden van der Indiscken Archipel. Batavia. 
1882. Cambridge, O. Pickard-. " Catalogue of Collection of Ceylon 
Spiders," Journal of the Linnean Society (Zoology), vol. x. 
1887. Thorell, T. Viaggio di L. Fea in Birinauia e Regioni vicine. 
*1892. Simon, E. Histoire Naturelle des Araigndes, vol. i. Paris. 
*1895. Thorell, T. Descriptive Catalogue of the Spiders of Burma. 
London. 
*1897. Simon, E. Histoire Naturelle des Araignees, vol. ii. Paris. 
1898. Simon, E. Materiaux pour servir a la Faune Arachnologique 
de l'Asie meridionale," Menioires de la Societe Zoologicpie de 
France pour l'Anne"e 1897, pp. 252-262. 
1899. Pocock, R. I. " Diagnoses of some New Indian Arachnida," 
Journal Bombay Natural History Society, xii. pp. 744-753. 
*1900. Pocock, R. I. The Fauna of British India — Arachnida. 
London. 
1900. Pocock, R. I. " Descriptions of some New Species of Spiders 
from British India,'' Journal Bombay Natural History Society, 
xiii. pp. 478-498. 
1901. Simon, E. "Arachnida of the Skeat Expedition to the Malay 
Peninsula, 1899-1900," Proceedings of the Zoological Society 
of London, 1901, vol. ii. 
1905. Jambunathan, N. S. " Habits and Life-history of a Social 
Spider (Steffodi/phus sarasinorum, Karsch),'' Smithsonian 
Miscellaneous Collections, vol. 47. 
1915. Gravely, F. H. "Notes on the Habits of Indian Insects, 
Myriapods and Arachnids," Records of the Indian Museum, 
Calcutta. 
* These works are constantly referred to throughout this paper and 
are indispensable. 
Mr. H. S. Bagnall on new Thysanoptera. 253 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
Plate II. 
Fiy. 1. Psechrus torvus inverted below web, which here crosses a dry 
mountain torrent. X yV 
Fiy. 2. Pgeckrus torvus web edge on, to show the tubular retreat deuied 
by Simon, also its slightly arched nature. 
PLA.TE III. 
Fit/. 3. Argiope anasuja; young- resting on lacework stabilimentum. 
X 1. 
Fig, 4, Argiope anasuja ; web with full x stabilimentum on Opuntia. 
A 4. 
Plate IV. 
Fiy. 5. Argiope anasuja; stabilimentum with only one stroke of X, 
spider rolling - up a fly. X 3. 
Fig. 6. Cyrtophora cicatrosa within domed web. x h. 
Plate V. 
Fig. 7. Cyclosa sp. ? (Ceylon) with stabilimentum as diameter (broken) 
bearing spider aud cocoons. Web against aloe-leaf. 
Fig. 8. Araueus nauticus resting by day on bark of a cypress-tree, x 3. 
Plate VI. 
Fig. 9. (Ediynatha retusa ; turret at mouth of burrow, x 1. 
Fiy. 10. Nilgiri Barychelid ; turret at mouth of burrow, x 5. 
Fiy. 11. Ayelena inda ; web on aloe-bush, showing cocoon-case within. 
[All the Plates are from photographs taken by the Author.] 
XXV. — Brief Descriptions of new Thysanoptera. — X.* 
I3j Richard 8. Bagnall, F.L.S. 
Suborder T E R E B it A N T I A. 
Family JEolothripidse. 
jdEolothrips fulvicollis, sp. n. 
? . — This species very closely resembles the common 
holarctic species A. fasciatus, L. The following differences 
are evident in the material at my disposal : — 
The pronotum, instead of being of the same colour as the 
head and body, is much lighter, being of a yellow to 
yellowish-brown colour. The fore-legs are only present in 
* Continued from Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 9, vol. i. p. 221 (1918). 
Ann. (£• Mag. N. Hist. Ser, 9. Vol. iv. 19