XIV. — New England Spiders of the family Attid^. By 



J. H. Emerton. 



The Attidse are distinguislied by a peculiar arrangement of the 

 eyes. The front of the head is wide and square and the front row 

 of eyes directed forward and nearly straight or with the lateral pair 

 a little the highest. The front middle pair are larger than the 

 others and often much larger, so that at first sight the spider appears 

 to have but two eyes. Behind the lateral eyes of the front row are 

 two very small eyes and still farther back, often near the middle of 

 the cephalothorax, are two others a little larger, sometimes as large as 

 the front lateral pair. See figures on Plates XVII and XVIII. 



The relative length of the legs is very variable. The fourth pair 

 is usually the longest, but often the first, and even in some species 

 the third pair. The legs of the first pair are usually thickened, and 

 often those of the second pair. Most species can jump a considerable 

 distance and this seems to be done from all the legs at once and does 

 not depend on their relative length or size. The feet have two 

 claws, generally long and with many small teeth, and, under the 

 claws, a bunch of long hairs. The colors of the Attid^e are gen- 

 erally bright and of great variety. They are partly caused by 

 colored scales and hairs which in some species cover the whole body 

 and in others are so small that the color of the skin shows between 

 them. The scales are usually long and narrow like flattened or 

 branched hairs, PI. XVI, figs. 1/, \l; others, especially those forming 

 the white spots, are short and flat, fig. 5(7. Some of the scales of many 

 species have a metallic luster and their color changes with the direc- 

 tion of the light. As spiders become older part of their scales rub 

 off and so change their color. In alcohol great changes in color take 

 place. The wetting of the scales makes them transparent and the 

 colors of the skin show through them. For this reason the front of 

 the head and around the eyes is black or dark colored in most species 

 in alcohol while the same parts in life are covered with white or 

 light colored scales. PI. XVII, figs. 2, 2a. Some species that are 

 yellow or brown when alive turn red in alcohol as Dendryphantes 

 militaris and cestivalis. 



The northern Attidoe, like the Drassidte, are generally of middle 

 size, none of them being as large as the larger Lycosidai and Epeiridas, 



