182 



THE COMMON SPIDERS 



and sometimes almost black at the sides, on the sternum, and 

 around the spinnerets. The epigynum (fig. 422) has a slender 

 pointed finger reaching halfway to the spinnerets. 



The male (fig. 423) has the head narrower than the female, 

 and the abdomen as small as the cephalothorax. The legs are 

 longer and more slender, with the metatarsus of the second 



pair curved inward, and a long forked spine on 

 the inside of the tibia of the same legs. 



Larinia directa. — This resembles a much 

 elongated Epeira pratensis (p. 167). It 

 is about as long as pratensis, a quarter 

 to a third of an inch, but very slender, 

 — not much more than a quarter as 

 wide as long (fig. 425). The general 

 color is yellowish but pale and 

 translucent, marked with very dis- 

 tinct black spots. The spots are 

 usually in six pairs on the abdomen, 

 sometimes so small as to be hardly 

 visible, sometimes so large as to be 

 the most distinct part of the spider. 

 In some individuals there is a row 

 of black spots on the upper side of 

 each leg, so that when these are 

 drawn up over the back hardly any- 

 thing is visible except the spots. In 

 some individuals the first and third 

 pairs of spots on the abdomen are very large and the others 

 very small (fig. 426). The sternum is nearly twice as long as 

 wide, with the sides of the front half parallel. It is darker at 

 the sides. On the under side of the abdomen are two parallel 

 dark stripes. In the male (fig. 424) the front legs are nearly 

 three times the length of the body, but neither the first nor 



Figs. 424, 425, 426, 

 427. Larinia di- 

 recta. — 424, male with one 

 front leg to show its great 

 length. 425, female with 

 the legs of one side drawn 

 up in a natural position, 

 showing the spots. 426, female with 

 four large spots on the back. 427, 

 under side. All enlarged four times. 



427 



