328 J. II. Emerton — New England E2yeiricl(P. 



Meta. 

 I U8e this genus for Meta menardi, meriance and the like, not 

 including tlie slender bright colored species placed here by Keyser- 

 ling which, as suggested by Thorell, better form another genus. 

 They have longer mouth parts than Epeira and the abdomen is 

 deeper, more like Theridium. They live in caves or shady places. 



Meta menardi (Latr.) Thorell — Epeira fusca Blkw. 



Plate XXXIT, figures 18, 18a. Plate XXXVII, figure 33. 



Adult female, 14'""' long; cephalothorax, 5"^™ long, 4'^"' wide; 

 first leg, 28""". The hinder part of the cephalothorax is as high as 

 the head except a deep pit in the middle. The legs are yellow with 

 wide dark-brown rings at the end and middle of each joint. The 

 cephalothoi-ax is brownish yellow, darker in the middle and at the 

 sides. The abdomen is high in front and pointed behind, as in 

 Theridium tepidariorum. It is dark brown and dull yellow. At the 

 front end are two dark-brown patches, between which is a light 

 stripe which spreads out toward the four principal muscular spots. 

 Behind this are several light cross lines. Underneath the abdomen 

 is brown with two yellow stripes. The epigynum is covered by a 

 wide, short and thick hook turned backward. The cocoon is large 

 but so loose that the eggs can be seen through it. The webs are 

 horizontal or inclined, with a hole through the center. 



The male is about half as large as the female and colored the same. 

 Both patella and tibia of the male palpi are wide as long. The tarsus 

 is large and nearly as wide in the middle as long. At the base is a large 

 hard process turned upward, and on the outer side of this is a light 

 colored branch covered with hairs. The palpal organ itself does not 

 fill the hollow of the tarsus. The tube is straight and lies by the side 

 of a liard process of ecpial length. At the base of the tube is a 

 shorter rough process. 



This species lives in caves and other damp and shady places, Berlin 

 Falls, N. n., Boston, Mass. Caves in Kentucky and Virginia. 



Argiope. 

 In Aryiope the eyes and mouth parts are as in Epeira. The 

 abdomen is longer than wide and pointed behind. The sexes differ 

 greatly in size, the males being extremely sjnall. The females live 

 all tli(^ time in the web having no nest or tent. The thorax and, in 

 the young, the abdomen are covered with silvery hairs. The colors of 

 the abdomen aiv very bright often black cross stripes on a yellow 



