198 AMERICAN SPIDERS 



of many distinct groups with fascinating activities awaits the en- 

 thusiast who cares to investigate further. 



The wolf spiders of the genus Pardosa (Plate XXV) are small, 

 but they make up in abundance what they lack in size. In physical 

 appearance they feature large eyes occupying nearly the entire 

 width of the head, which is quite precipitous on the side. More 

 gracefully built than the typical lycosid, they have a slender body 

 supported by long, thin legs set with long, black spines. Their 

 slender tarsi lack for the most part the conspicuous brushes of the 

 larger lycosids. Their colors tend to be dark, frequently black, but 

 the cephalothorax is usually marked by a pale longitudinal stripe 

 continuous with a light band on the abdomen. The heads and fore- 

 legs of the somewhat smaller males are often brightly variegated 

 with white and black patches of hairs, features believed to be dis- 

 played during courtship activities. 



The Pardosae are true vagrants and do not use any retreat for 

 long, wandering instead over the soil and low vegetation in moist 

 areas. All are sun-loving creatures and abound in the spring, at 

 which time the males become mature and cavort in front of the 

 more plainly colored females. Except in the far north, where more 

 time may be necessary for complete development, they live only 

 one year; in the case of the males, months less. Noted for their ex- 

 cessive agility, they climb into flowers and over plants, and the 

 spiderlings are often seen ballooning in the fall. 



Dozens of species of Pardosa live in temperate North America 

 and occupy many different habitats. The moss- and lichen-covered 

 slopes of the Far North and the highest mountains support distinc- 

 tive dark species. In the dried grasses of meadows and along road- 

 sides live small species striped in black and gray. In the Southwest, 

 rocks and bare sands along creeks serve as the homes for speckled 

 species that are hardly visible when not in motion. Most Pardosae 

 abound in damp, grassy situations near bodies of water. Many are 

 amphibious, being able to run over the water freely and to crawl 

 under the surface by holding on to plant stems. One of the British 

 species, Pardosa purbeckensis, lives in the intertidal zone and takes 

 to the water during high tides, in the manner described below by 

 W. S. Bristowe: 



The following day was sunny and a lot of the spiders were 

 actively running about, but as the tide rose, they retreated to 

 the higher portions of the plants. Presently I saw one which I 



