VIII THE COLOURS OF SPIDERS 181 
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. 
1. White with faint black 
markings. 
2. Do. do. 
3. Orange to crimson - red 
with yellow markings. 
4. Bright red with yellow 
markings. 
5. Yellow to brown with white 
markings. 
6. Yellow to orange. 
These interesting variations 
connection between white, 
suggest strongly that there 
pigments corresponding to 
Colours of Legs. 
Brown and white. 
Black and white. 
Dark brown and white. 
Yellow and red-brown. 
Orange and brown. 
Yellow and brown. 
which show such a close 
yellow, red, and brown, 
is a relation between the 
that which exists in the 
