Superfamily Argiopoidea 



About thirty species of this genus are known from the United 

 States; among the more common species are the following: 



Philodromus pernix (P. per'nix). — This is the most common 

 representative of the genus found on houses and fences, it some- 

 times occurs also on plants. It measures from one fourth to one 

 third inch in length. It is gray, resembling in colour old unpainted 

 buildings. In the female (Fig. 614), the cephalothorax is darker 

 at the sides; and there is a more or less distinct V-shaped, light 

 band on the hind margin of the head. On the basal part of the 

 abdomen there is a lanceolate median stripe; and on the hind part 



Fig. 614. PHILODROMUS PERNIX, FEMALE 



a herringbone pattern. The male is coloured like the female; 

 but in all that I have seen the V-shaped band on the head is not 

 so well-marked ; the legs are longer, and the abdomen more slender. 



This is the Tbomisus vulgaris of Hentz. 



Philodromus minutus (P. mi-nu'tus). — This little spider 

 measures only one eighth inch in length. The cephalothorax 

 is white or yellowish white, the sides reddish brown; the abdomen 

 is dirty white or yellowish; on the basal half of the abdomen 

 there is a median brown stripe, and on the hind half there are two 

 stripes, one on each side. 



Although this spider is small, it attracts attention by the 

 curious way in which it cares for its eggs. The egg-sac is made 

 near the tip of a leaf; and then the tip bearing the egg-sac is folded 

 back and fastened down to the body of the leaf by many silken 



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