106 KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



Type: Lycosa carolinensis. 



This is probably the largest species of the family. In the 

 West it has burrowing habits, digging down into the prairie 

 sod to a depth of eight or ten inches. Individuals probably 

 live two or three years, as half- or two-thirds-grown specimens 

 may be taken at any time. In the cocooning season — May and 

 June — the females never roam about, at least not in the day- 

 time. When found with a cocoon they are always in the bur- 

 row. The males, however, are frequently seen near the mouth 

 of a burrow or running about. The cocoon, which is attached 

 to the spinnerets of the female, is almost perfectly globular. It 

 varies in size from one-half to three-fourths of an inch in di- 

 ameter, and is composed of two valves overlapping at the suture. 

 The envelope is quite tough, and is, perhaps, originally white, 

 but all cocoons appear soiled from contact with the damp earth. 

 They enclose from 500 to 600 eggs each. These are not agglu- 

 tinate. The mother spider valiantly resists any attempt to de- 

 prive her of her treasure. When the young have hatched they 

 cluster over her body in such numbers as to make her appear as 

 large as a small mouse. 



Type: Pardosa lapidicina. 



A very common spider in the West, frequenting the vicinity 

 of streams, ponds, or gullies. They run swiftly, carrying the 

 body high above the ground on their long legs. The cocooning 

 season seems to cover the greater part of the summer, as females 

 with egg-sacks have been observed from April to August. The 

 cocoon is attached to the spinnerets ordinarily, but, as with the 

 species of Lycosa, if it be torn loose the mother will carry it 

 about in her mouth-parts for some time, finally attaching it 

 again by threads. It is biconvex-lens-shaped, one-fourth inch 

 in diameter, and a little over one eighth inch between the con- 

 vex faces. It consists of two valves, firm and paper-like, which 

 overlap slightly at the suture. The color is bluish green or 

 bluish drab at first, but this soon fades. Bulging protuberances 

 indicate the crowding of the eggs within. The latter number 

 about 100, are cream yellow in color, and not agglutinate. 

 After hatching, the young are carried about for some days before 

 they escape from the cocoon. After this the mother's back 

 serves as a vehicle of transportation for some days or weeks 

 longer. 



