Superfamily Argiopoidea 



It makes a complete orb from six to ten inches in diameter. The 

 hub of the orb is nearly open, the central space being crossed 

 by comparatively few lines; there is a distinct notched zone, 

 and a free zone, and, usually, from twenty to thirty-five viscid 

 spirals. 



The spider is sometimes found on its orb in midday; but 

 usually it rests in a retreat made in the dead head of a plant 

 forming one of the supports of the web. In this case, the brown 

 colour of the body and the spines on the abdomen serve to render 

 the spider inconspicuous. 



The mass of eggs is attached to a leaf and enclosed in a mass 

 of loose brown silk (Fig. 469). 



This is a common species both in the North and in the South. 



Marxia mcesta (M. moes'ta). — This species is found in the 

 Southern States. It differs from the preceding in its smaller 

 number of abdominal tubercles. 'Two shoulder tubercles mark 

 the base well back of the anterior middle point, leaving thus the 

 fore part of the abdomen as a wide subtriangular space sloping 

 toward the front, while the remainder of the dorsum slopes some- 

 what, though but little, toward the rear. The apex is marked 

 by a prominent rounded tubercle, resembling those upon the 

 shoulders, but smaller; on either side of this is a similar smaller 

 tubercle, and beneath it on the apical wall of the abdomen are 

 two others in a row, of similar character, but somewhat flattened. 

 The colour is yellow, much broken by irregular and lateral black 

 lines upon the sides." (McCook.) 



Genus ZILLA (Zil'Ia) 



The abdomen is short oval, rather depressed, and without 

 humps at the base. The posterior median eyes are scarcely more 

 than one and one half times the diameter of one of them apart, 

 and as close to the posterior lateral eyes as to each other; the 

 lateral eyes are slightly separate; and all of the eyes are subequal 

 in size. The epigynum is without a scape in our species. 



Four species of Zilla are found in the United States, at least 

 three of which are believed to have been introduced from Europe. 

 They are of moderate size, the largest being about three eighths 

 of an inch in length. In their general appearance they resemble 

 spiders of the genus Steatoda of the family Theridiidae. Of the 

 three species found in the East, Emerton states as follows: 



457 



