THE LYCOSID^ 69 



Lycosa nidicola. — When full grown three-quarters of an inch 

 long ; the legs short, the longest an inch in length. The 



color is dull yellow or greenish brown. On 

 the cephalothorax there is a narrow yellow 

 stripe ir^ the middle and one on each side 

 (fig. 166), and on the front of the abdomen 

 the usual pointed stripe, dark at the edges 

 and bordered by lighter bands. On the 

 hinder half of the abdomen are indistinct 

 cross marks. The legs are without mark- 

 ings, and the spines short and hardly visible. 

 The under side of the abdomen 

 (fig. 167) is light in the middle 

 and darker at the sides v 

 and marked with small 



167 



Figs. 166, 167. Lycosa 

 nidicola. — 166, female 

 enlarged twice. 167, 

 under side of abdomen. 



brown spots. 



The males and 



young are lighter 



and more plainly 



marked than the 



adult female s. 



This spider lives 

 under stones and other shelters in the woods 

 in a shallow nest, lined with silk, where the 

 female may be found with her cocoon of 

 eggs early in the summer. 



Lycosa pratensis. - — A small species, four- 

 fifths to half an inch long, yellowish brown, 

 with indistinct light and dark markings. 169, side of cephalothorax. 

 The cephalothorax has a middle light band mandibles. 

 as wide as the eyes, narrowed a little in 

 front of the dorsal groove and broken in the middle by two 

 brown spots (fig. 168). The sides of the cephalothorax near 



u l68 



Figs. 168, 169, 

 1 70. Lycosa 

 pratensis. — 

 168, female 

 enlarged 

 three times. 



