136 



THE COMMON SPIDERS 



species of Microneta, Bathyphantes, and other allied genera, 

 but only the larger and more common are here described. 



Linyphia marginata. — This is one of the most common web 

 spiders in shady woods all through the summer. It is a sixth 

 of an inch long, with slender legs, the longest of which are 

 usually half an inch. The cephalothorax is two-thirds as wide 

 as long, the middle of it brown and the 

 edges light. The abdomen is flat on top 

 and widest and thickest behind, the colors 

 light yellow and purplish brown (fig. 319). 

 In the middle there is a dark stripe, con- 

 sisting usually of three parts united by a 

 narrow line, and behind this is another 

 dark spot. At the sides are several dark 

 stripes, the front ones lengthwise and the 

 hinder vertical, all connected with the dark 

 color of the under side. The legs are 

 light yellow without markings, and the 

 hairs and spines fine and not easily seen. 

 In the males all the colors are darker and 

 the abdomen narrower, with only a few 

 light marks at the sides. This spider has 

 no nest, but lives all the time in the 

 middle of its web. It matures in June, and 

 the young brood are common in their 

 small webs in August and September. 



The web of L. marginata (fig. 318) is in the form of a dome 

 four or five inches in diameter, hung between rocks and plants, 

 seldom much concealed by leaves. The threads are fine, and 

 the web so transparent that it easily escapes notice unless 

 the sun shines upon it. The meshes are larger than in L. phry- 

 giana and other flat web-making species. The depth and width 

 of the dome depend somewhat on the shape of the opening 



319 



Figs. 319, 320. Linyphia 

 marginata. — 319, female 

 enlarged eight times, 

 showing markings of the 

 baclc. 320, side of abdo- 

 men. 



