54 



THE COMMON SPIDERS 



slender in both sexes, and in the male the palpal organs are 

 small for so large a spider. The mandibles of the male 

 are widened at the end and have a strong projection with two 



teeth on the inner corners. 



Dendryphantes aestivalis. — 

 One of the most common 

 Attidae, on all kinds of bushes 

 and small trees, and one of 

 the most variable in size and 

 \ color. Large females are 

 from a fifth to a quarter of 

 an inch long, and the males 

 are smaller. The females are 

 of two varieties, which run 

 into each other. The light variety (fig. 

 144) has the light parts white or light 

 yellow and the dark parts dark brown 

 covered with white hairs and scales. 

 The cephalothorax is dark brown, thinly 

 covered with scales, so that the dark 

 color shows between them in places. 

 The legs are light yellow and translu- 

 cent, indistinctly ringed with brown at 

 the base and, near the tip of each joint, 

 all covered with greenish white hairs. 

 The palpi are light and without rings 

 except on the femur and patella. The 

 of female. All enlarged abdomcn is brighter yellow than the 



six times. • 1 r • r 1 • 1 i 



thorax, with tour pairs or purplish brown 

 spots, the second pair largest, connected with a paler brown mid- 

 dle marking. The abdomen has beneath a purple brown 

 stripe in the middle and oblique brown marks at the sides. 

 Sternum, maxillae, and mandibles light brown. The dark 



Figs. 142, 143, 144. Dendry- 

 phantes aestivalis. — 142, 

 male. 143, dark variety of 

 female. 144, light variety 



