ARGIOPE AND IIER RIBBONED ORB. 



107 



more elaborate than that shown at Fig. 98, having well defined radii and 

 a spiral system at least in the lower part; but I have never seen one 

 that extended beyond the bounds of what in a i)erfect orb is the central 

 si3ace. The zigzag ribbon is present, but scant and ill defined. The habits 

 of the male and another drawing of his snare will be found in a subsequent 

 chapter. 



The following are measurements of several webs of Cophinaria : No. 1. 

 Radii, 35; notched spirals, 13; beaded spirals, 24. Specimen half grown. 

 No. 2. Radii, 26; notched spirals, 13; beaded si)irals, not counted. No. 3. 

 Radii, 30; beaded spirals, 16 above the hub, 31 below; the orb 12 inches 

 in length, 10 inches wide. 

 Shield and ribbon 5 inch- 

 es long. A strong fender 

 placed three inches from 

 the spider. Eight notched 

 spifals partly covered by 

 the shield. The ribbon en- 

 tirely traverses the shield 

 space. No. 4. Radii, 35, 18 

 on one side of the rib])on, 

 17 on the other, including 

 the radii inclosing the rib- 

 bon. Notched spirals 13, nearly filling the open space. Beaded si)irals 

 24. Width of orb, 8 inches. Zigzag rib,bon, 3 inches, including the 

 shield, which is about five-eighths inch. 



Fiii. 99. Central decorations on orbs of ArgjTaspis. 



II. 



The Banded Argiope (A. argyraspis) is an abundant species, at kast in 

 Pennsylvania and the adjacent States to the south and east. Tlie female 

 is generally somewhat shorter in body length than the Basket Ar- 

 Are-ione S^ope, and otherwise smaller. The abdomen tapers gradually 

 from the middle part toward the apex. The spider is of a gen- 

 eral whitish gray color; her abdomen is covered above with a bright silver 

 gloss, and is crossed longitudinally by two pretty yellow bands, and later- 

 ally by a number (thirteen or more) of black lines unbroken, alternated 

 witli interrupted ones.^ 



Argyraspis is seen most frequently in the later summer, from July until 

 November, nested upon hedges, shrubs, bushes, and in tall grasses and 

 weeds. Her snare is substantially the same as that of Cophinaria, see Fig. 



' 



1 Argiope ar<i;yraspis is close'ly related to the well-known Arjr. fasciata Fabr. of Eu- 

 rope. See Kocli's "Die Anulmidcn," ])aiu'es l.">n, TOO, and Tab. i-cexciv., Fij,'. iW. It is not 

 strange that Hentz should iiave supposed it to be tiie same or near thereto. It is dis- 

 tributed generally throughout Central and Southern Europe and Northern Africa. A 

 quite full synonymy may be found in the works of Walikenaer and Simon. 



