THE THOMISID^ 



25 



than the first and second. Ebo latithorax (p. 38) is a small Philo- 

 dromus, with a wide body and exaggerated second legs. Tliana- 

 tus lycosoides (p. 40) is like a stout Philodromus, with rough hairs 

 and markings, resembling some Lycosidae. Ti bell us duttonii 

 (p. 39) is a long straw-colored spider, resembling Philodromus 

 in its feet and head, but having a long slender abdomen, with 

 two black spots. 



THE GENUS MISUMENA 



The Misumenas are the most conspicuous spiders of their 

 family, and are among the few that are popularly noticed. 

 They grow to a large size and are white or brightly colored, 

 and live in open places 

 on flowers. The males 

 and females differ widely. 

 The males mature early 

 and remain small, and are 

 marked with a variety of 

 colors in spots and bands, 

 while the females grow 

 several times as large, 

 lose in great part their 

 markings, and become 

 white or yellow. In both 

 sexes the two front pairs 

 of legs are much longer 

 than the two hinder pairs, 

 and often differently col- 

 ored. In the young the 

 colors are variable and there is less difference between the 

 sexes. The Misumenas live on plants, among the flowers, 

 especially on large flat clusters, like those of carrot and 



Fig. 75. Misumena aleatoria. — Natural size, 

 among flowers of thoroughwort, holding a fly 

 in her mouth. 



