Superfamily Argiopoidea 



CC. Posterior eyes in a strongly recurved line; posterior 



median eyes farther from the lateral eyes than from 



each other. 



D. Cephalothorax not at all or hardly longer than 



wide. P. 548. Thanatus 



DD. Cephalothorax much longer than wide. P. 549. 



Tibellus 



Genus PHILODROMUS (Phi-lod'ro-mus) 



The second pair of legs are only slightly longer than the first 

 pair; and the third and fourth pairs are but little shorter than 

 the first and second pairs; the body is flat, and the abdomen 

 pointed behind; the posterior median eyes are much farther from 

 each other than from the lateral eyes; and the anterior lateral 

 eyes are nearer to the anterior 

 median eyes than to the pos- 

 terior median eyes. 



Most of the species of 

 this genus live on plants; but 

 a few are found on houses and 

 fences. Some of them are 

 coloured protectively, closely 

 resembling the bark upon 

 which they are found. 



The glistening white egg- 

 sacs of some of our species 

 are common and conspicuous 

 objects. They are made upon 

 the branches of the shrubs or 

 trees upon which the species 

 lives; and are often made in 

 the fork of a branch (Fig. 

 613). In making the cocoon, 

 the spider first spins a disk of 



silk, the eggs are placed upon this, and are then covered with 

 another disk, and then the whole is covered with the densely 

 woven outer layer, which is stretched very taut. In the case 

 of Philodromus minutus, described below, a very different method 

 of caring for the cocoon is practised. 



Fig. 613. EGG-SAC OF I'lllLODROMIS 



543 



