J. H. Eiiierton — New England Tlierididm. 19 



slightly flattened on the back. It is smooth and shining-, the hairs 

 being fine and scattered so as to be hardly visible. The thorax is 

 thick and hard and in some species marked with hard teeth and 

 depressions. The head is generally high and narrowed in front. 

 The front middle eyes are in several species much larger than the 

 others, and farther forward and wider apart. In others all the eyes 

 are nearly of the same size. The webs of this genus consist of a flat 

 sheet supported by threads. The spider stands under one side of the 

 flat portion like Linyphia. This genus is divided by Menge and 

 Simon into several : 8. guttata belongs to Crustidina Menge, S. 

 corollata to Lithyphantes Th., 8. serpentina to Teutana Simon. 



Steatoda borealis (Fientz). 



Therklion horeale lientz, Boston Journal of Nat. Hist., vol. vi. 

 Plate IV, figures 1 to \d. 



This common spider resembles very closely Theridiuni quadrlpunc- 

 tatuni of Europe, from Avhich it differs mainly in the palpal organs, 

 see Menge's figures. The female is 6™"' long. The thorax is orange 

 brown, darker in old than young specimens, and covered thickly 

 with short and stifl" dark brown hairs. The head is about one-third 

 as wide as the thorax and more elevated, the eyes near together and 

 the front pair projecting forward beyond the head. Fig. Ic. The 

 legs are brown with faint darker rings and thickly covered with 

 brown hairs. The abdomen is dark brown, sometimes without any 

 light marks above, but usually there is a light line running round the 

 forward half and another in the middle, extending half way back and 

 sometimes farther and broken in several places. The four depressed 

 spots on the abdomen are usually very distinct. Beneath there is a 

 light band on each side of the abdomen connected together behind 

 the spinnerets. The sternum and mouth parts are dark brown. The 

 sexes are much alike in size and color. The palpi of the male are 

 very large. Figs. ]a,lb. They arc the only palpi which are well figured 

 by Hentz, Boston Journal of Nat. Hist., vol. vi. I have never seen a 

 good web of this spider. It is found in corners and under fence i-ails, 

 usually holding close to the wood with the legs drawn up against 

 the body. In this position, under a fence caj>, I have seen a pair in 

 copulation in May, and again in April at New Haven, Conn. The pair 

 stood head to head, as far apart as possible. The left palpus was 

 kept in, an hour and a quarter after they were first seen. The male 

 contracted his body suddenly and swelled up the base of the palpal 

 organ once every two or three seconds. Two days afterward I saw 



