Superfamily Argiopoidea 



described above and the smaller ones treated later. As these 

 three species are more commonly found about houses, barns, and 

 fences than are other orb-weavers, they were grouped together 

 by Emerton as The Three 

 House Epeiras; this is a 

 convenient grouping which 

 I adopt with merely the 

 necessary change in the 

 generic name. It should be 

 remembered, however, that 

 although these are termed 

 house- spiders they fre- 

 quently build their webs 

 on bushes far from build- 

 ings. 



The three house 

 Araneas resemble each 

 other in a striking degree 

 in size and in markings. 

 The adult females vary 

 from a little less than one 

 third inch to three fifths Fig. soq. aranea frondosa, female 

 inch in length; and the 



males are somewhat smaller. The colours are various shades 

 of brown; and there is a distinct folium (Fig. 509). 



Notwithstanding the close resemblance of these three species, 

 they can be easily separated in the adult state by the differences 

 in the form of the epigyna of the females and of the palpi of the 

 males, as indicated in the following table: 



A. Females. 



I). Scape of the epigynum finger-like. 



C. Openings of the spermathecae exposed; the posterior 



lateral thickenings of the epigynum nearly or quite 



meeting on the middle line. P. 486. Aranea sericata 



CC. With a prominent lobe on each anterior lateral part of 



the epigynum; the posterior lateral thickenings of the 



epigynum widely separated; the posterior half of the 



central portion of the epigynum prominently elevated. 



P. 487. Aranea frondosa 



485 



