THE SENSES AND THEIR ORGANS. 289 



light. I have alw.ays found it liaiigiiig on the central shield of its web in 

 broad dayliglit and at all hours of the daj'. Its eyes are a light yellow 

 color. The same is true of Argiope argyraspis. Acrosoma rugosa I have 

 always found upon its web in daytime. Tiiis is a wood loving species, but 

 commonly sj)ins its web ip open places. Its eyes are liglit gray, the mid- 

 dle front pair having a little daricer shade. Epeira labyrinthea is also a 

 diurnal spider, selecting, as a rule, a position upon branches stripped of 

 foliage or dead limbs. Its rear eyes are liglit colored, pearl gray or a del- 

 icate amber, but those of the front row are blaci<. Epeira insularis liabit- 

 ually occupies its nest of sewed leaves during the daytime and often at 

 night also, but it takes prey quite freely during all hours of the day. Its 

 eyes are all light colored. Two gravid specimens of this species wliicii I 

 examined had eyes decidedly lighter tlian other specimens, and tlie ques- 

 tion occurred to me whether it might not be that the color of the eyes is 

 affected during the period of gestation. I had not sufficient specimens, 

 however, to follow this inquiry, which, perhaps, is not worthy of further 

 attention. . 



The eyes of Linyphia weyerii, which I have examined from several 

 specimens received from Luray Cave, are of light color, the two central 

 eyes being white. Tlie latter is a marked variation from the general con- 

 dition of this pair of eyes, wliich appear to be darker, as a rule, in all 

 terrestial s})ecies, and to be obliterated in some cavern fauna. 



I submitted a few European species to a similar examination. > Tetrag- 

 natha extensa (Russia) has the side eyes a yellowish brown, the side rear 

 eyes of lighter hue than the side front. The midrear eyes are 

 Species '^'^^^ yellow, and tlie midfront eyes are darkest of all. Epeira 

 sclopetaria (Ireland) has the side eyes light colored, the rear eyes 

 being lightest. Tlie midrear eyes are a dark yellow, and the midfront 

 darkest of all. Epeira sclopetaria of Russia is colored in the same way. 

 Epeira quadrata (Russia) has the side rear eyes liglit colored, the side front 

 eyes a little darker hue, and the front eyes tolerably dark. Epeira dia- 

 demata (Russia) has the rear eyes brownish yellow, tiie front eyes a darker 

 hue of yellow, and the front side eyes a darker yellow, and tlie midfront 

 eyes darkest of all, almost black. 



None of the above species can be classified as nocturnal in their habits, 

 although all of them, of course, are able to capture prey at night. Tet- 

 ragnatha extensa and Epeira sclopetaria are continuallj' seen upon their 

 webs in broad dayliglit. Epeira quadrata and Epeira diademata belong to 

 nesting species, having habits similar to our Epeira insularis and trifolium. 

 They live in dome sliai)ed tents, roofed and walled by clustered leaves or 

 by a single rolled leaf. Their faces are towards the opening, looking upon 



' The Russian species were received from Mr. Waldemar Wagner, of Moscow, and the 

 British species were collected partly by myself and partly by Mr. Thomas Workman, of 

 Belfast. 



