46 



which is not as narrow as the first ; feet, first pair longest, the 

 second and fourth nearly eqaal, the third being shortest. 



Habits. Araneides wandering after prey, making no web, 

 except around the cocoon, but casting some threads to secure 

 their prey ; cocoon conical, surrounded with points, placed in a 

 tent made between leaves drawn together as a covering. 



Remarks. The habits of this singular .subgenus are very 

 similar to those of the tribe Arboreae, of the subgenus Dolo- 

 medes. Thev are found on the stems of trees, or on the bios- 

 soms of umbelliferous plants, with their legs extended, like 

 Thomisus or Micrommata, and patiently waiting till some un- 

 suspecting insect comes within their reach. 



1. Oxyopes viridans. 

 PI. 7, fig. 2. 



Description. Tender grass-green ; cephalothorax with small 

 brown spots on the sides and at base ; abdomen with yellowish, 

 oval spots, edged with brownish, obliquely turned towards the 

 centre, about four each side ; feet and palpi pale, hairy ; thighs 

 and palpi with minute black dots beneath ; feet, 1. 2. 4. 3. 

 Large size. 



Observations. This elegant species is by no means common. 

 It is usually found on umbelliferous plants, where, like a Mi- 

 crommata or Thomisus, it watches for the insects attracted by 

 the blossoms. A specimen, taken in September, was kept sev- 

 eral weeks in a glass vessel, where it soon made a cocoon [196] 

 of a conical form, with small eminences, to which are attached 

 the threads that hold it suspended firmly in the air, as that of 

 Theridium verecundum. After it was finished, the mother 

 watched it constantly, never leaving its unprotected family. 

 Unfortunately, a rat, finding its way into the room, ate the 

 watchful parent, leaving the cocoon, out of which the young 

 were hatched on the 14th of October. These were of a dee]) 

 orange color, measuring full 0.9 inch. The cocoon was of a 



