46 



THE COMMON SPIDERS 



under the eyes and pointing forward in the middle (fig. 128). 

 The abdomen has light markings in the middle similar to those 

 of aiiratiivi, but those at the sides are less distinct. 



The male has the white stripes in the middle and around the 

 abdomen like auratiim. The cephalothorax has the same white 

 lines at the sides under the eyes and at the posterior end. It 

 does not have a middle white stripe on the head between the 

 eyes or two white spots just behind it, as aiiratmn has, but the 

 marking behind the eyes is more distinct, as it 

 is in the female. The front legs of the male 

 (fig. 127) are not ornamented with long hairs 

 like auTatnni, but the third legs have a very 

 peculiar shape, the patella being wide and flat, 

 with a dark spot in the middle of the front side 

 (fig. 126). The shape of this joint is best 

 shown by the figure. When approaching the 

 female he holds up the front legs and draws in 

 the third pair so that the ornamented patellae 

 show from in front. 



Habrocestum splendens. — A little larger than 

 the other species, with the female distinctly 

 marked with black and white and the male with 

 brilliant red and iridescent scales. The females 

 are about a quarter of an inch long, sometimes 

 longer, and the males are a little smaller. The cephalothorax of 

 the female is covered with brown scales mixed with black hairs. 

 Across the middle, just behind the dorsal eyes, is a light band 

 that curves behind the eyes and extends forward in the middle. 

 The abdomen has a white band in front, one on each side, and 

 one in the middle, the rest being deep black. The shape of 

 these markings varies and the black parts are often broken 

 into two rows of spots. The cephalothorax of the male is 

 covered with dark iridescent scales, with blue, green, and purple 



Fig. 129. Habroces- 

 tum splendens. — 

 Male enlarged 

 eight times. 



