34 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS . 
small flowers (Fig. 36), and exhibit a slight degree ol 
regularity. 
Family Theridiid.® (Ther-i-di'i-dae). 
The Cobiueb Weavers. 
Many are the kinds of webs spun by different spiders. 
Some of them, as the orb-webs and the funnel-webs, delight 
us with their wonderful regularity of form; while others 
appear to be a mere shapeless maze of threads. Such are 
the structures whose presence in the corners of our rooms 
torment thrifty housewives, and which are disrespectfully 
termed cobwebs. 
The cobweb weavers (Family Theridiidce) are small 
spiders with unusually slim legs. The space between the 
eyes and the front edge of the head is greater than the 
Fig. 37.—Face of Fig. 38.—Foot of spider Fig. 39.— Mtmetus 
house spider. with three claws. interfector. 
region occupied by the eyes (Fig. 37); the eyes are in two 
rows; and the feet are furnished with three claws (Fig. 38), 
This family includes many species, being in fact the largest 
of all of the families of spiders. Figure 39 represents a 
widely distributed species. 
Although the house spiders are the most familiar mem¬ 
bers of this family, the greater number of species spin their 
webs in the fields on bushes. These webs usually consist of 
a flat or curved sheet, under which the spider hangs back 
downward. This sheet is supported by threads running in 
all directions to the neighboring objects. Frequently there 
is a large number of these supporting threads above the web, 
which serve the additional purpose of impeding the flight of 
