Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 6.djvu/662

642 others may have the fortune to clear up the points in its economy as yet undiscovered.

Our spider is thought by high authorities to be a species of the genus called Hyptiotes by Walcknaer, and afterward and more commonly Mithras, but the former name has priority. Of this genus two European species have been described; one of which, H. paradoxus, has lately been found in England, and described by the veteran arachnologist, Mr. Blackwall. Our American species seems to be that referred to by Hentz as the Cyllopodia cavata, but his description is so brief,



 B B, the base-line attached, at C and D, to a hemlock-branch; E F G, points of attachment to the base-line of the three radii, R' to R", which converge at A, the apex of the net; I' to IIX, nine transverse or interradial double lines; S' to S', attachments of the first interradial upon the radii; A L, apex-line; O, origin of the apex-line from a second branch; Sl., loop of the apex-line or "slack," between the front and hinder feet of the spider: this is better shown in the lower enlarged figure.

and in some respects erroneous (giving only six eyes, whereas there are eight), that we shall probably avoid confusion by calling this a new species (H. Americanus).

Having now identified the spider sufficiently for our present purpose, we have to inquire:

 1. Which is the spider, the male or the female? 2. How is the net made? 3. How is the net used in taking prey? 4. What are the relations between this and other spiders?

1. As is often, although by no means