Superfamily Argiopoidea 



entirely of silk, and is furnished with a small opening at one side. 

 Just before taking the photograph for this picture I jarred the 

 web slightly, whereupon the spider rushed forth and assumed 

 the attitude shown in the picture. 



This species continues active late in the autumn after most 

 of the orb-weavers have practically disappeared. 



The Platform Spider, Linyphia pusilla (L. pu-sil'la). — The 

 term platform spider which I apply to this species was suggested 

 by the form of its web (Fig. 410). 



Fig. 411. LINYPHIA PUSILLA 



Fig. 412. LINYPHIA PUSILLA 



The bod)' is about one sixth inch in length. The cephalo- 

 thorax is dark orange-brown, and the legs a lighter shade of the 

 same colour. The abdomen is dark brown, often almost black, 

 with several white spots, usually two across the front end and 

 several others on the sides (Fig. 411); these sometimes form a 

 complete white margin. In some individuals the upper part of 

 the abdomen is brown with a series of transverse dark bars (Fig. 

 412); in others it is almost entirely black. Every gradation be- 

 tween these two forms occurs. 



In the male both the cephalothorax and the abdomen are 

 long and narrow; and the chelicerae are more than half as long as 

 the cephalothorax. 



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