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THE COMMON SPIDERS 



THE GENUS ACROSOMA 



These are small spiders, with the abdomen extended back 

 half its length beyond the spinnerets, brightly colored, flat- 

 tened above, and furnished with several pairs of pointed 

 processes. The cephalothorax is longer than in Epeira and 



Fig. 437. Web of Acrosoma spinea. 



Argiope and widest in the middle. The legs are slender 

 and have only fine and soft hairs. The webs (fig. 437) are 

 inclined and have a hole in the middle surrounded by several 

 turns of smooth thread ; when hanging in it the spiders look 

 like burrs or seeds. At a slight alarm they will sometimes 

 drop to the ground and hide under the nearest shelter. 



