ARGIOPE AND HER RIBBONED ORB. 107 
more elaborate than that shown at Fig. 98, having well defined radii and 
a spiral system at least in the lower part; but I have never seen one 
that extended beyond the bounds of what in a perfect orb is the central 
space. The zigzag ribbon is present, but scant and ill defined. The habits 
of the male and another drawing of his snare will be found in a subsequent 
chapter, 
The following are measurements of several webs of Cophinaria: No. 1. 
Radii, 35; notched spirals, 13; beaded spirals, 24. Specimen half grown. 
No. 2. Radii, 26; notched spirals, 13; beaded spirals, not counted. No. 3. 
Radii, 30; beaded spirals, 16 above the hub, 31 below; the orb 12 inches 
in length, 10 inches wide. 
Shield and ribbon 5 inch- 
es long. <A ‘strong fender 
placed three inches from 
the spider. Eight notched 
spirals partly covered by 
the shield. The ribbon en- 
tirely traverses the shield 
space. No. 4. Radii, 35, 18 
on one side of the ribbon, 
17 on the other, including 
the radii inclosing the rib- 
bon. Notched spirals 13, nearly filling the open space. Beaded spirals 
24, Width of orb, 8 inches. Zigzag ribbon, 8 inches, including the 
shield, which is about five-eighths inch. 
Fic. 99. Central decorations on orbs of Argyraspis. 
ET: 
The Banded Argiope (A. argyraspis) is an abundant species, at least in 
Pennsylvania and the adjacent States to the south and east. The female 
is generally somewhat shorter in body length than the Basket Ar- 
giope, arid otherwise smaller, The abdomen tapers gradually 
from the middle part toward the apex. The spider is of a gen- 
eral whitish gray color; her abdomen is covered above with a bright silver 
gloss, and is crossed longitudinally by two pretty yellow bands, and later- 
ally by a number (thirteen or more) of black lines unbroken, alternated 
with interrupted ones. 
Argyraspis is seen most frequently in the later summer, from July until 
November, nested upon hedges, shrubs, bushes, and in tall grasses and 
weeds, Her snare is substantially the same as that of Cophinaria, see Fig. 
Banded 
Argiope. 
1Argiope argyraspis is closely related to the well-known Arg. fasciata Fabr. of Eu- 
rope. See Koch’s “Die Arachniden,” pages 159, 160, and Tab. ecexciy,, Fig. 954. It is not 
strange that Hentz should have supposed it to be the same or near thereto. It is dis- 
tributed generally throughout Central and Southern Europe and Northern Africa. A 
quite full synonymy may be found in the works of Walckenaer and Simon. 
