THE EPEIRID^E 



193 



above and are more plainly seen as the sp 

 web. The basal joints of the legs are light 

 sternum and mouth parts dark. The abdo 

 darker from front to back, where it is 

 around the spinnerets. In the middle 

 is a large double spot of bright copp 

 red, and the red spots at the end of 

 body show as plainly from below as 

 from above, and around the middl 

 spot are several small spots of bright 

 yellow. The hairs and spines of th 

 legs are so fine that they do not much 

 affect the general color. On the front 

 side of the femur of the 

 fourth leg there is a fringe 

 of long hairs extending half 

 its length. The males are 

 half as large as the females, 

 with longer and more slen- 

 der legs and palpi, and the 

 same colors. The webs are 

 nearly horizontal, with a 

 small hole in the center, 

 and under the round web 

 is often a large irregular 

 web. The round web may 

 be a foot in diameter, or it may be so 

 small as hardly to cover the spider. The 

 webs have a large number of rays, and 

 the spirals are very close together, as in the 

 gibbcrosa (fig. 413). The smooth central 

 is circular and very regularly woven, show 

 trace of the beginning of the temporary 



ider hangs in its 

 in color, and the 

 men is green, 

 almost black 



Figs. 449, 450. Argi- 

 ope riparia. — 449, 

 female. 450, male 

 enlarged twice. 



webs of Epcira 

 part of the web 

 ing usually no 

 spirals, and 



