CHAPTER IV. 



GROWTH OF SPIDERS. 



Persons unfamiliar with spiders find it hard 

 to tell young from old, and male from female. 

 This is caused, in part, by the great differences 

 between different ages and sexes of the same 

 spider, on account of which they are supposed 

 to belong to distinct species. 



The adult males and females are easily distin- 

 guished from each other, and from the young, 

 by the complete development of organs peculiar 

 to each sex, which will be described further on. 



The males are usually smaller than the 

 females, and have, in proportion to their size, 

 smaller abdomens and longer legs. They are. 

 usually darker colored, especially on the head 

 and front part of the body ; and markings which 



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