AVICULARIIDAE 



Their burrows are often surmounted by a sort of turret raised 

 above the level of the ground. 



(v.) The Barychelinae are burrowing forms which resemble 

 I\^emcsia, but have only two tarsal claws. Leptopebna is the 

 only European genus, and has close affinities with certain South 

 American genera {Psalistops, Euthycoelus, etc.). Pisenor inhabits 

 tropical Africa, and Diplothele, unique in possessing only two 

 spinning mammillae, is an inhabitant of India. 



(vi.) The AvicuLAiiiiNAE include all the large hairy spiders 

 which are commonly called Alygah. The genus Phlogius, which 

 inhabits Southern Asia, forms a lidless burrow, though it has no 

 rastellus, but practically all the other members of the group are 

 uon-terricolous, living under stones or in holes in trees, where 

 they weave a slight web. They are nocturnal in their habits. 

 They all possess two tarsal claws, and the labium is free and 

 spined at the tip. Of the four spinnerets the posterior pair are 

 long and three-jointed, while the anterior are short and not very 

 close together. 



The particular form of the tarsi and the nature of the 

 scopulae,-' " claw-tufts," and spines upon them are of great import- 

 ance in distinguishing the members of this group. 



The Aviculariinae comprise about sixty genera from all the 

 tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. 



The genus Ischnocolus extends into the Mediterranean region, 

 having representatives besides in Southern Asia and in Central and 

 SouthAmerica. AUthe tarsi have their scopulae divided longitudin- 

 ally by a band of hairs. Chaetopelvia inhabits Egypt, Syria, and 

 Arabia, and Cyclosternum is found in West Africa as well as in 

 Central and South America. In these genera the scopulae of the 

 last two pairs of legs are alone divided. The largest known 

 spider is Theraphosa leMondi, which is a native of Guiana. It 

 measures 9 cm. (about three and a half inches) in length. 



Etirypelma is a genus of large spiders entirely confined to 

 the New World, where it possesses many species. The genus 

 Avicularia is also American, and includes a number of large 

 long-haired spiders with short and very strong legs, on which 



1 The " scopula " is the pad of close-set thick hairs which covers the under 

 surface of the tarsus and often of the metatarsus. The " claw-tufts " are groups of 

 longer hairs, often extending beyond the claws, and giving the foot a bifid appear- 

 ance. 



