1908.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 293 



the cephalothorax. Chelicerce long and robust, the upper margin armed 

 as usual with three teeth of which the median one is much stoutest; 

 in the armature of the lower margin of the furrow with four stout teeth 

 the genus resembles Dolomedes; the statement made by Simon that the 

 two middle teeth of the lower margin are longer than the others does 

 not hold for S. floridanus, in which the fourth tooth is distinctly long- 

 est; in immature specimens sometimes but three teeth are present on 

 the lower margin. Legs with the tarsi and metatarsi densely and 

 widely scopulate for their entire lengths from base to apex, the scopulse 

 long; the scopulae of the posterior pairs divided by a median narrow 

 line of bristles; distal joints of legs with long aculeate bristles. 



Spiders of large size, in general appearance similar to Lycosa. Tn 

 the character of the mouth parts they suggest some of the Pisauridce. 

 In the structure of the spinnerets and in the color markings of the 

 abdomen and especially in habits they show close affinities with the 

 Agelenidce. The habits of the species of this genus so far as observed 

 are very similar to those of Hippasa and Porrima, the two most closely 

 related genera. The three genera are all composed of species which are 

 sedentary in habit, building large webs of fine silk with a central funnel- 

 shaped tubular retreat, preciseh^ as do the Agelenas and other Agelenidce. 

 In rushing out to seize their entangled prey they run upon the lower 

 surface of the web. Like other Lycosidce, however, they suspend their 

 cocoons to the spinnerets where they are maintained constantly, never 

 depositing them upon the web. They do not desert their webs during 

 the cocooning season. According to Cambridge, the movements of a 

 Sosippus which he observed upon the Amazon were exceedingly quick, 

 like those of Agelena. 



Sosippus is known only from the Americas, having been found in 

 Florida, Lower California, Mexico, Central America and Brazil. But 

 one species occurs within our limits. 



Sosippus floridanus Simon. 



Female. — Cephalothorax deep reddish brown or reddish black with- 

 out distinct light markings in the tegument; behind the eye region a 

 median stripe of yellow hair and on each side a wider marginal band of 

 white hair intermixed anteriorly with some of yellow color, these 

 marginal bands extending forward to the clypeus but not joining across 

 it; pubescence elsewhere dark. Chelicerce shining black sparsely 

 clothed above with blackish hair and densely clothed below with gray- 

 ish-brown hair of which there is a fringe along the furrow. Labium 

 and endites rather dark reddish brown, paler distally. Sternum red- 



