86 PECKHAM. [Vol. 1, 



alcoholic specimens, but wliich, I am told by Mr. Herbert Smith, 

 are of a bright green in their tropical homes. Olios viridis and 

 Linyphiaviridis* come under this class. The former is entirely 

 "of a tender yellowish green" and is found on the leaves of 

 orange trees. The latter has both male and female of a tender 

 green color and is found on the leaves of rose bushes. 



Pavesi enumerates the following green species which live 

 on leaves : Micramata virescens (CI.), Epeira cucurbitina (CI.), Ther- 

 idium viride Nic., Dictyna mridissima { Wlk.), Qastes viridis Wlk, 

 Peucetia viridis {Bllcw.), Attus pistacius.-[ 



The spidei's which imitate the colors of flowers are found, 

 to a great extent, among the Thomisidfe ; and here a point of 

 interest must be noted. The resemblance of Epeiridse and Ther- 

 ididfe to the surfaces upon which they are found are simply 

 protective. It is useful in preserving the spider from enemies, 

 but does not assist it in capturing prey. In the Thomisidee, on 

 the other hand, the protective disguise serves a double purpose, 

 and it seems probable that it is fully as great an advantage to 

 them to deceive their prey as their enemies. 



No family can show more brilliant and beautiful colors 

 than the Attidte. Wallace speaks of them in the tropics as 

 being so exquisitely colored as to resemble jewels rather than 

 spiders.;]: Yet no cases have been cited in which spiders of 

 this family imitate the colors of flowers; and from what we 

 know of the mating habits of our own bright colored Attidse 

 there can be little doubt that these jewel-like spiders also owe 

 their beauty to sexual, and not to natural selection. 



It is probably '■ to Thomisidse that Bates refers when, 

 in speaking of spiders with showy colors, he says: "Some 

 double themselves up at the base of leaf-stalks, so as to resemble 

 tiower buds, and thus deceive insects on which they prey ;" § 

 and again : " Some hunting spiders mimic flower buds and sta- 



* Vinson, Loc. cit. pp. 103 and 277. 



\ Loc. cit. p. 2. 



I Tropical Nature, p. 97. 



S Loc, cit. p. 54, 



