1 06 On North ^Imericaii Spiders. 



similarity between them and the subdivision Sylvaria (Walck.) of 

 DoLOMEDES, in point of manners and habitus. The three species 

 of Sphasus, known to me, wander in quest of prey about the trunks 

 of small trees or upright sticks, move with great rapidity, and when 

 at rest, spread their feet like many species of Thomisus. On the 

 first of September, a large female was brought to me in a glass ves- 

 sel. I call it Sphasus viridans. It is of a pale grass color, with 

 the disk of the abdomen yellowish, except an oblong longitudinal line 

 in the middle, which has a double row of three or four oval oblique 

 yellow spots, separated by a longitudinal blackish line ; feet pale with 

 yellow joints. Length 0.81 of an inch. It was impregnated and with 

 eggs. After a few days, it made a web of very strong threads, like 

 that of Theridium, in the middle of which was placed its cocoon, 

 which is perfectly conical, made with great exactness, and is supplied 

 around with httle mamrnula^ frorn which depart the threads which 

 bind it to the web. The mother watched it constantly, and never 

 left it as long as she lived. The young were hatched on the 14th 

 of October and continued together for many weeks during the win- 

 ter, but gradually died ; they were of a deep orange color and full 

 0.9 of an inch in length. The mother had previously been destroy- 

 ed by an accident, which I regretted very much, for I have some 

 reasons to think that the young are carried on the back of the mother 

 as in Lycosa, and wished to have ascertained that fact. 



DoLosiEDES, (Latr.) 



Eyes 8, unequal in size, „o o_^ ^'^' o^ o^ j legs 4. 2. 1. 3. wan- 

 dering near streams or ponds, often hiding under the surface of the 

 water, or rambling on trees. Six species. Dr. T. W. Harris sent 

 me a species, the female of which constructs a web not unlike that 

 of Tegenaria ; but that retreat is limited to one sex, and probably 

 used onh^ to protect the cOcoon, until the young are hatched, and 

 able to go abroad. 



Lycosa, (Latr.) 



O O 



Eyes 8, unequal in size, o o • legs 4. 1.2. 3, wandering about 



in quest of prey, found under slones, in holes, he. bearing their 

 cocoons attached to their anus, and carrying their young on their back. 

 Eleven species, known to me. Dr. Charles Pickering, of Saleni, 

 Mass. presented me with a collection of Araneides; in which were six 



