Superfamily Argiopoidea 



in having the epigastric plates not 

 marked by transverse furrows; 

 but in the Metinae the epigastric 

 furrow is nearly straight, (Fig. 

 429), and not strongly procurved 

 as in Tetragnatba. In the Metinae 

 there is a rudimentary external 

 condyle on the chelicerae, and 

 the epigynum of the female is 

 often more or less developed. 



Some of the metids live in 

 caves and other dark places; 

 others build their webs on bush- 

 es and trees, and among these 

 are some of the most brilliantly 

 coloured of our spiders. 



The webs of the Metids, 

 except Hent{ia, resemble those of 

 Tetragnatba in being more or less 

 nearly horizontal, and in having 

 an open hub. In some the orb is 

 accompanied by a barrier web; 

 Hentna builds a peculiar web. 



Fig. 42 g. LEUCAUGE VENUSTA, „ r . . . . 



ventral aspect Seven genera of the Metinae 



are represented in our fauna; 

 these can be separated by the following table. 



table of genera of the meting 



A. Lateral eyes of each side near together. 



B. Eyes nearly equal in size; clypeus narrow. 

 C. Posterior femora with a single or double fringe of hairs 

 on the external face of the basal half. 

 D. Tibiae and metatarsi of the first and second legs 

 studded with many triangular thorn-like points. 

 P. 424. Plesiometa 



DD. Tibiae and metatarsi of the first and second legs not 

 studded with points. P. 421. Leucauge 



CC. Posterior femora not fringed. 



D. Abdomen with a hump on each side near the base. 

 P. 417. Hentzia 



416 



