DESCRIPTION OF GENERA AND SPECIES. 187 
those of the European examples. The clypeus of the American specimens appears to be 
somewhat higher. 
CrerHatornorax: A rounded oval; the fosse semicircular; skin glossy; color dark 
brown, with yellow patches on the caput base; corselet grooves rather indistinct i cephalic 
suture distinct; covered with yellowish-white hairs. Sternum cordate; sternal cones not 
very prominent, except one in front of the labium; skin glossy, covered freely with gray 
hairs; dark brown color, with yellow median band. Labium subtriangular at the tip, 
rounded at the sides; maxillze broad as long. 
Leas: Stout; 1, 2, 4, 8, as follows (a large specimen): 35, 31, 26, 19 mm.; another 
example measures 31.9, 30.2, 27.9, 19.8 mm.; joints strongly annulated, both at tips and 
middle; heavily clothed with yellow spines with brown bases, and with dark bristles; palps 
stout, yellow, with brown annuli. Mandibles conical, parallel; dark brown, with yellow 
fronts. 
Eyrs: Ocular quad elevated; length about equal to width; broader in front than rear ; 
MF somewhat larger than MR, and separated by about or less than 1.5 their diameter; MR 
separated by about one diameter. Side eyes on tubercles; separated by about their radius; 
SF slightly larger than SR. Space between SF and MF about 1.5 area of the latter, or at 
least three times intervening space of MIF; both eye rows slightly procurved; clypeus 
margin distant from MF 8 to 3.5 diameter of latter. 
Aspomen: Subtriangular; wide at the base across the shoulder humps; front subtri- 
angular, overhanging the cephalothorax; color grayish yellow or yellow with velvety brown 
markings; the surface dotted over with numerous short, whitish, thick hairs among the 
pubescence. On the high basal front is a yellow pattern, often assuming the shape of a 
lyre or the letter U. The folium is shield shaped, with scalloped edges, forming in the 
middle part a scalloped band of yellow, which unites with a broad band of like color across 
the dorsal base and the posterior face of the shoulder humps. Wide scalloped bands of 
yellow, mottled with brown, extend from the shoulder humps, narrowing toward the apex, 
from which brownish belts, mottled with yellow, extend to the venter. The yentral pattern 
is a broad trapezoid of brown, with yellowish margins, and three dark, rounded, yellowish 
spots along either side of the marginal line at the corners and middle; spinnerets distal, 
though slightly overhung by the high apical abdominal wall. 
In the epigynum (Plate XI., Figs. 4b, 4e, and Figs. 4d, 4e) the atriolum is distinguished 
by a high tubular pedestal; the scapus is long, subcylindrical toward the basal part, which 
is about equal in length throughout, and beyond the middle part widens slightly into a 
long spoon shaped tip, whose bowl in some species appears to be more decidedly marked 
from the shaft than in others. 
Mate: Resembles the female in color and markings (Plate XI., Figs. 2, 3); is 6 mm. 
in length. The tibia of the second leg enlarged, and armed with rows of black, short, 
clasping spines; underneath the femora, especially femur-I, are rows of long acute spines. 
The abdomen bears the shoulder tubercles, and has a folium resembling that of the female. 
A specimen from Russia (Professor W. Wagner) is somewhat longer, but otherwise resembles 
the American specimen (Plate XI., Fig. 3) collected in Connecticut. 
Disrrisution: This species is one of the largest and, in certain parts, the most common 
of our spider fauna. Along the Pacific Coast and in Texas it reaches enormous proportions, 
one specimen from Texas having an abdomen which measures 18 mm. in length and a 
cephalothorax 12 mm. long and 9 mm. wide, I have specimens from various parts of Cali- 
fornia (Mrs. C. R. Smith, Mrs. Eigenmann, Mr. Orcutt, Drs. Blaisdell and Davidson); have 
collected it in the Adirondack Mountains and the Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, as well as 
in New England. The collection of Dr. Marx has specimens as far to the Northwest as 
Portland, Ore.; I have specimens from Wisconsin (Professor and Mrs. Peckham); it may 
therefore be considered as inhabiting the entire United States. Its distribution throughout 
Continental Europe is quite general, and it probably inhabits the northern shores of Africa, 
Palestine, and other parts in Asia. It is thus one of the most cosmopolitan of our orb- 
weavers. It appears to have experienced little change in form and general characteristics, 
but is substantially the same in all climates and environments, 
