Superfamily Argiopoidea 



Genus AGASSA (A-gas'sa) 



The cephalothorax is thick, about as wide as long, flat above, 

 and hollowed behind to receive the abdomen. The ocular quad- 

 rangle occupies two thirds of the length of the cephalothorax and 

 is much wider behind than before; the second row of eyes is 

 much more remote from the posterior eyes than from the anterior 

 eyes. The abdomen is oval, short, and truncate in front. 



Agassa cyanea (A. cy-a'ne-a). — This is a small species, 

 measuring a little less than one fifth inch in length. The whole 

 body is covered with iridescent scales which give it a coppery green 

 colour. The abdomen is marked with a narrow, yellowish white 

 basal band. The species is distributed over a large portion of the 

 region east of the Rocky Mountains. 



Genus HABROCESTUM (Ha-bro-ces'tum) 



The cephalothorax is high with the cephalic part convex, and 

 the thoracic part steeply inclined. The ocular quadrangle oc- 

 cupies less than one half of the length of the cephalothorax 

 and is wider in front than behind; the second row of eyes is half- 

 way between the others. The abdomen is elongate oval in out- 

 line. 



Four species are known to occur in our fauna; but only one 

 of them is common and widely distributed. 



Habrocestum pulex (H. pu'lex).— - This is a small species, the 

 male measuring only one sixth inch in length, the female a little 

 more. In the male the cephalothorax is reddish, dark in the eye- 

 region, with a narrow white triangle pointing forward, and lighter 

 behind the eyes; the abdomen is dark brown, with two longitudinal, 

 nearly parallel, light lines on the basal half and a broad transverse 

 white mark just behind the middle. In the female the cephalo- 

 thorax is dark, with a large triangular light spot reaching from the 

 eyes to the hind end. The abdomen is dark, with either two 

 light longitudinal lines on the basal half, as in the male, or with 

 several irregular light spots in this region, and with a> transverse 

 light band just behind the middle. Around and behind the 

 transverse band are other irregular light markings. 



I his species is widely distributed in the eastern half of the 

 United States. 



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