Superfamily Argiopoidea 



The webs of this spider are made over cracks in the sides of 

 buildings and in angles; or are stretched over some slightly pro- 

 jecting object, as the head of a nail. The principal part of the 

 web is a sheet of very fine silk, which is usually less than one 

 inch in diameter. This sheet has a warp of direct lines, which 

 support a filmy woof, and is often 

 more or less star-like in outline. 

 Beneath this sheet, there is either a 

 tube within which the spider waits, or 

 a second sheet, somewhat smaller 

 than the outer one, upon which the 

 spider rests. When the spider is 

 disturbed, it runs with exceeding 

 rapidity. 



This species is the Thalamia pari- 

 etalis of Hentz. 



CEcobius floridana (CE. flor-i- 



... A , . , ~ , . Fig. 275. (ECOBIUS PARIETALIS 



da na). — A second species or Ltcobius 



has been described by Mr. Banks from specimens collected in 



Florida. The female measures one twelfth inch in length. 



The cephalothorax is pale grayish, blackish on its edges; the 



abdomen is grayish, blackish on the sides, and with no silvery 



spots. 



This species is the Thalamia floridana of Banks. 



Family FILISTATID^ (Fil-is-tat'i-dae) 



Filistata (Fil-is-ta'ta) 



The Filistatidas is represented by a single known genus, 

 Filistata, which contains a small number of tropical and sub- 

 tropical species. One of these is a common house-spider in the 

 Southern states. 



In this family the cephalothorax is oval, longer than broad. 

 The eyes are massed in a small group, which is hardly wider than 

 long; the anterior median eyes are dark in colour and round, the 

 others are pearl} - white and oval or angular (Fig. 276). The chelic- 

 erae are small and lack a lateral condyle; they are chelate, the 

 short claw being apposed by a prolongation of the basal segment 

 (Fig. 277). The palpus of the male is the most simple found 

 among spiders. 



289 



