INSECTS AND THEIR NEAR RELATIVES 



17 



Fig. 32. — Misumena valia. 



downward; so that the body is carried close to the ground. The legs of 

 the second pair are as long as or longer than those of the fourth pair. 

 The eyes are small, nearly equal in size, and arranged in two rows. 



One of the best-known members of 

 this family is the female of Misumena 

 vdtia, which is frequently found in 

 flowers (Fig. 32). She is remarkable 

 for the change in the color of her body 

 which takes place when she migrates 

 from one flower to another of different 

 color. In the spring the female frequents 

 the white flowers of trillium, fleabanc, 

 and other plants. She then has a ground 

 color of white. Later in the season when 

 she migrates to golden-rod or other yel- 

 low flower her body becomes yellow in 

 color. 



Family Lycosid^ 



The Running Spiders 



Every collector of insects who has searched for specimens under stones 

 and logs is familiar with the large, dark-colored, hairy spiders often 

 found in these places. These spiders frequently attract especial attention 



by dragging after them a 



large _ gray ball (Fig. 33); 



this is the egg-sac, which 



the female carries about 



with her attached to her 



spinnerets. These spiders 



run swiftly; and as they 



depend on the use of their 



legs for the capture of their prey, they are well termed running spiders. 



These spiders resemble in general appearance and in habits the 



tarantulas of the South and the West. But none of our species attain 



the great size of some of the tarantulas, and in the running spiders the 



claw of the chelicerae moves horizontally 

 instead of vertically. 



In this family the body is hairy and 

 usually much longer than broad. The eyes 

 differ markedly in size, and are arranged in 

 three rows. The larger eyes arc not in the 

 front row. The legs are rather long and 

 quite stout. 



Like the tarantulas, some of the running 

 spiders build tubular nests in the ground, 

 which they line with silk. Sometimes the 

 entrance to these nests is concealed by small 

 sticks and leaves, and sometimes the spider 

 builds a regular turret over the entrance of 

 ■ its tube (Fig. 34). These nests are used 

 mostly as retreats. A few species spin webs. 



Fig. 33. — Lycosa and egg-sac. 



Fig. 34. — Fntrnnce t 

 spider, Lycosa. (After Marx.) 



