426 



ARACHNIDA 



Fig. 669 — Epeira gigas 

 (Comstock.) 



E. globosa Keys. Length 6 mm.; abdomen round and large, and 

 yellowish in color, with 4 large, square, whitish or pinkish spots on the 

 anterior and 3 or 4 pairs of black spots on the posterior portion: web 

 large, with one segment left open or partly open and with a thread 

 running from its center to the large nest; common. 



E. prompta Hentz. Body 6 mm. long and gray in color, with vari- 

 able black and yellow markings on the back: common in low bushes. 



E. gigas Leach {E. insularis Hentz) (Fig. 669). 

 Length 16 mm. ; abdomen large and ovoid, and 

 bright yellow or orange in color with brown or 

 purple markings; cephalothorax dull yellow: in 

 bushes and low trees; the spider makes a nest 

 of leaves in which it stays, holding a thread which 

 runs to the center of the web; in all parts of the 

 country. 



E. domiciliorum Hentz. Length 8 mm.; color 

 light yellow with brown markings, sometimes with 

 red spots on the abdomen; cephalothorax with 3 

 faint stripes; sternum bright yellow in the middle: in bushes and on 

 fences. 



E. trifolium Hentz. Length 20 mm.; abdomen large and round, 

 light or dark brown in color, with white spots; legs with conspicuous 

 black or reddish rings; cephalothorax white, with 3 black stripes: in 

 bushes and tall weeds; the spider has a nest of leaves joined with the 

 center of the web by a thread like E. gigas. 



4. ZiLLA Koch. The 2 middle pairs of eyes near the 2 lateral pairs; 

 the hinder row of eyes somewhat longer than the 



forward row ; abdomen elliptical : about 4 American 

 species. 



Z. atrica (Koch). Length 7 mm., with a large, 

 somewhat flattened abdomen; color gray, with a broad 

 scalloped stripe on the abdomen: a segment of the web 

 is without cross threads, opposite which a thread runs 

 from the center of the web to the nest; about houses. 



5. AcROSOMA Perty {Mierathena Sundevall). Small 



brightly colored spiders with a flattened abdomen which is extended 

 backwards and furnished with several pairs of pointed projections: the 

 web often has a hole in the center; 4 American species. 



A. spinea Hentz (Fig. 670). Length 5 mm.; abdomen narrow in 

 front and with 2 long spreading points behind; 2 pairs of smaller spines 

 also present; color white or yellow with black spots; spines red and 

 black. 



