Superfamily Argiopoidea 



and many species are brightly coloured, ,'even iridescent; but 

 unfortunately the appearance of a specimen is usually greatly 

 changed when it is put in alcohol. In certain members of this 

 family the body is longer than in the typical forms, and ant-like in 

 appearance. 



The sexes differ little in size; but often they differ much in 

 colour and in the form of the clothing of hairs and scales. In 

 many cases the males have peculiar bunches of hairs on the front 

 legs. At the mating time, the males of some species have been 

 observed to dance before the females, and to assume singular 

 attitudes, holding their legs extended sidewise or over their 

 heads in such a way as to display their ornaments (Fig. 738), 



or moving them about so as to attract attention. 



These curious habits have been carefully described 



by Mr. and Mrs. Peckham ('89 and '90). 



The jumping spiders are hunters, pursuing 



their prey or springing 



upon it when it comes 



near them. They 



move sidewise or 



backward with great 



ease, and can jump a 



long distance. They 



spin a dragline. I 



have seen them jump 



away from the side of 



a building, to catch 



an insect flying near, 



and quickly regain 



their position by 

 means of the dragline. They make no webs except nests in 

 which they hide in winter or when moulting or laying eggs. 

 These nests are sac-like in form, composed of several envelopes, 

 and usually furnished with two openings. 



The egg-sacs are frail; as they are made within the sac-like 

 nest, there is not the necessity for a dense cocoon that there is 

 with most other spiders. The cocoon is usually lens-shaped and 

 suspended, like a hammock, from the walls of the nest. There 

 may be several cocoons within a single nest; but usually there 

 is only one. With the species that we have observed, the eggs 



662 



Fig. 737- 



LYSSOMANES 



VIRIDIS 



Fig. 738. 

 MALE OF PELLENES VIRIDIPES DIS- 

 PLAYING ORNAMENTS (after Peckham) 



