Superfamily Argiopoidea 



Genus HERPYLLUS (Her-pyPlus) 



In this genus, which is closely allied to Zelotes, the two rows 

 of eyes are nearly straight and widely separated; the eyes of each 

 row are quite evenly spaced. The anterior middle eyes are larger 



than any others. The posterior 

 median eyes are a little smaller 

 than the posterior lateral eyes. 



Eight species have been de- 

 scribed from the United States; 

 but only one of them is widely 

 distributed. 



HerpyUus vasijer (H. vas'i- 

 fer).— -The body is black with 

 white or pinkish markings along 

 the middle of the back (Fig. 308). 

 In alcohol the light stripe on the 

 cephalothorax turns to brown. 

 The abdominal markings consist 

 of a band on the basal two thirds 

 and a spot near the tip. The 

 band is slightly narrowed in the basal portion, and greatly and 

 suddenly narrowed near the hind end. The lower side of the ab- 

 domen is dark at the sides and light in the middle; there are 

 two narrow, parallel, faint lines extending from the epigy- 

 num almost to the spinnerets. The legs except the femora, 

 are somewhat paler than the body. 



'The adult female is one third inch in length, the male is much 

 smaller, but is similarly marked. 



This species is found under stones and rubbish on the ground, 

 between boards, and in crevices in dark places. It runs with ex- 

 ceeding rapidity. I found its egg-sacs under boards in a barn; they 

 are flat and snowy-white, resembling those of Gnaphosa gigantea. 

 This species is widely distributed throughout the United 

 States; it is the HerpyUus ecclesiasticus of Hentz. 



Fig. 308. HERPYLLUS VASIFER 



Genus EIL1CA (Ei-li'ca) 



This genus can be distinguished by the characters given in 

 the table above. It is represented in our fauna by a single species, 



3.8 



