2IO 



THE COMMON SPIDERS 



volupis, and the middle light stripe is narrower and not as 

 bright yellow (fig. 479). The sternum and under side of the 

 abdomen are gray, as dark as the upper 

 part and sides, while in volupis they are 

 generally lighter. The males have the 

 cephalothorax larger, and that and the legs 

 a little brighter colored than in the female, 

 and the abdomen darker. The mandibles 

 are not as long as in the male volupis, and 

 the ends of the male palpi are much 

 smaller and the tibia longer and straighter 

 than in volupis (fig. 481). 



Dictyna cruciata. — About a tenth of an 

 inch long, with the abdomen large and 

 oval, as in nuiraria. The cephalothorax 

 is light brown above and below, and the 

 legs the same color, but still lighter. The 

 abdomen is gray beneath and at the sides, 

 and silvery white on the back, sometimes 

 over the whole upper surface, but oftener 

 in a stripe widened in 

 the middle so as to 

 form a white cross on 



thorax and palpus of male. ^ crrouud (fig. 482). 



481, palpus of male. & J' tr. V & t / 



The males are darker 

 colored, with the light spot on the abdomen 

 smaller. The male palpi are short and 

 slender, the ends large and rounded and 

 carried close to the head (fig. 483). 



Dictyna volucripes and muraria. — These two 

 gray spiders are the common Dictynas on 

 walls and fences and on the ends of grass and weeds, where 

 they make webs shaped according to the places where they 



Figs. 479, 480, 481. Dictyna 

 frondea. — 479, markings 

 of the abdomen enlarged 

 eight times. 480, cephalo- 



ip; 

 481, palpui 



Figs. 482, 4S3. Dictj'na 

 cruciata. — 4S2, female 

 enlarged eight times. 

 483, cephalothorax and 

 palpi. 



