Sphasus, (Walck.). Oxyopes^ (Latr.). 



Eyes 8, unequal in size, PI. 18, fig. 14 a ; legs 1. "I. 4. 3. 

 lingua long, rounded at its apex ; maxillae long, narrower at tip. 

 Making no web, except when the female makes her cocoon. 

 Three species. Nothing is known as yet in Europe about the 

 habits of the spiders of this genus, and therefore I will state my 

 observations. There is much [l06] similarity between them 

 and the subdivision Sylvaria (Walck.) of Dolomedes, in point 

 of manners and habitus. The three species of Sphasus, known 

 to me, wander in quest of prey about the trunks of small trees 

 or upright sticks, move with great rapidity, and when at rest 

 spread their feet like many species of Thomisus. On the first 

 of September a large female was brought to me in a glass 

 vessel. I call it Sphasus viridans. It is of a pale grass color, 

 with the disk of the abdomen yellowish, except an oblong longi- 

 tudinal line in the middle, which has a double row of three or 

 four oval oblique yellow spots, separated by a longitudinal black- 

 ish line ; feet pale with yellow joints. Length 0.81 of an inch. 

 It was impregnated and with eggs. After a few days it made 

 a web of very strong threads, like that of Theridium, in the 

 middle of which was placed its cocoon, which is perfectly coni- 

 cal, made with great exactness, and is supplied around with 

 little mammula? from which depart the threads which bind it to 

 the web. The mother watched it constantly, and never left it 

 as long as she lived. The young were hatched on the 14th of 

 October, and continued together for many weeks during the 

 winter, but gradually died ; they were of a deep orange color 

 and full 0.9 of an inch in length. The mother had previously 

 been destroyed by an accident, which I I'egretted very much, 

 for I have some reasons to think that the young are carried on 

 the back of the mother, as in Lycosa, and wished to have ascer- 

 tained that fact. 



