132 



THE COMMON SPIDERS 



half as thick as the tibia. The color is pale yellow or white, 

 with black or gray spots, in a regular pattern on the cephalo- 

 thorax and abdomen, and in rings on the legs. 



Mimetus interfector. — This is about the 

 same size and color as Theridium tcpida- 

 riorujii, but it has a round and Epeira-like 

 abdomen and spiny legs like Epeira or 

 Linyphia. The length is nearly a quarter 

 of an inch. The cephalothorax is one and 

 a half times as long as wide, widest behind 

 and narrow in front (fig. 314). The man- 

 dibles are long and dark colored, except 

 a spot near the base. The cephalothorax 

 is whitish, with a stripe of brown from 

 the eyes to the dorsal groove. The abdo- 

 men is small, widest in front, like that of 

 Epeira ajignlata, with two prominent cor- 

 ners. The markings are also like Epeira, 

 — a central stripe, with dark spots along 

 the edges (figs. 314, 315). The color is 

 gray and brown in the darker parts. The 

 legs are light yellow, with dark rings at 

 the ends of 

 the joints. 

 It lives on 

 bushes and 

 occasionally on houses and fences, 

 where it has been found in webs 

 among those of Thcridimn tepida- 

 riorum. 



Ero thoracica. — This spider resem- 

 bles the young of TJicridiuvi tcpidariornni, but the colors are 

 brighter, and the hairs longer and coarser. It is an eighth to 



Figs. 314, 315. Mimetus 

 interfector, enlarged four 

 times, showing markings 

 of two different individ- 

 uals. 



Figs. 316, 317. Ero thoracica. — 316, 

 back of female enlarged eight times. 

 ■\\i, side of female. 



