Superfamily Argiopoidea 



with black markings, which may be very prominent or almost 

 entirely wanting; every gradation between these two extremes 

 occur (Fig. 347). The cephalothorax is yellowish white with a 

 median longitudinal black line or band; this black mark may be 

 very narrow or may cover the greater part of the cephalothorax; 

 this line is sometimes forked on the head; the cephalothorax 

 may have a narrow marginal line. The abdomen is often marked 

 with three snow-white or yellow longitudinal bands separated 

 by transparent spaces; in the transparent spaces between the 

 median and lateral white bands there may be black spots; some- 

 times these spaces are entirely 

 black; in another type the centre 

 of the basal part of the abdomen 

 is black. 



The female measures from 

 one eighth to one sixth inch in 

 length; the male, one eighth inch. 

 The front legs are long; those 

 of the female from one third to 

 two fifths inch in length, while 

 those of the smaller male equal 

 those of the female in length. 



On each chelicera of the 

 male there is a pointed projection 

 in front near the base. In the 

 female the epigynum has a single 

 opening, which is turned forward. 

 The female is frequently found 

 with her egg-sac in a partly folded leaf on bushes. The egg-sac 

 is snowy white in colour and loose in texture. Sometimes a loose 

 sheet of silk is spun across the space between the two parts of the 

 folded leaf so as to keep the leaf folded and make a retreat for the 

 spider. The spider stays with her egg-sac till the young emerge. 

 We found the egg-sacs in July, and spiders with young during 

 the latter part of August. 



Tberidion globosum (T. glo-bo'sum). — The male of this 

 species measures only six hundredths of an inch in length, 

 the female eight. The abdomen is very high, suggesting the 

 specific name. The cephalothorax is orange-brown, with the 

 eye-space black. The hind part of the abdomen is white, with a 



348 



Fig. 346. THERIDION FRONDEUM 



