VIII THE COLOURS OF SPIDERS i8i 



usually yellowish with red bands, or sometimes 

 whitish ; the colour-development is thus in marked 

 contrast to the cases already described. 



Before passing on to discuss the beautiful and 

 complex markings seen in many spiders, we may 

 dwell for a little on some cases of colour-variation 

 more complex than those merely due to development, 

 and on the colours of the sexes. 



Variation in Colour. — We have already described 

 the colour-changes occurring during development in 

 Epeira trifolium, but the adults themselves show 

 an extraordinary variability, often changing colour 

 markedly in captivity. The specific name is founded 

 upon the resemblance of certain markings on the 

 dorsal surface of the abdomen to the leaves of trefoil, 

 but it is only in certain cases that these markings 

 are at all distinct. The following list is compiled 

 from Dr. M'Cook to illustrate the common colour- 

 variations : — 



Colours of Body. Colours of Legs. 



1. White with faint black Brown and white. 



markings. 



2. Do. do. Black and white. 



3. Orange to crimson - red Dark brown and white. 



with yellow markings. 



4. Bright red with yellow Yellow and red-brown. 



markings. 



5. Yellow to brown with white Orange and brown. 



markings. 



6. Yellow to orange. Yellow and brown. 



These interesting variations, which show such a close 

 connection between white, yellow, red, and brown, 

 suggest strongly that tHere is a relation between the 

 pigments corresponding to that which exists in the 



