THE THOMISIDÆ
The Thomisidæ are generally flat, short, and widened behind, and have a sidewise gait and crab-like appearance. The first and second legs are often much larger than the third and fourth, and all the legs extend sidewise from the thorax and not forward and backward, as they do in the Drassidæ (pp. [1-21]). The feet have two claws and a thick brush of hairs. They are generally smooth or covered with very short and fine hair, and often have coarser hairs scattered at considerable distances from each other over the back. The eyes are small and in two slightly curved rows, the upper one longest and often much longer than the front row. The mandibles are small and narrowed toward the end. The maxillæ are narrow at the end and slant inward. Most of the species belong to the three following genera:
Xysticus (p. [30]) is flat, with short legs, and marked with gray and brown, like bark and stones.
Misumena (p. [25]) is white or brightly colored. The first and second legs are much longer than the third and fourth, and there is great difference between the sexes, the females being large and light colored, while the males are small, and yellow or green, with red and brown markings.
Philodromus (p. [35]) is generally small, with long slender legs, the second pair longest. The colors are generally light gray and brown, sometimes with iridescent scales.
Besides the larger genera are several other spiders belonging to this family. Tmarus caudatus (p. [38]) resembles Philodromus in color and outline, but has besides the caudate abdomen a very different head and thorax, and the hind legs much shorter than the first and second. Ebo latithorax (p. [38]) is a small Philodromus, with a wide body and exaggerated second legs. Thanatus lycosoides (p. [40]) is like a stout Philodromus, with rough hairs and markings, resembling some Lycosidæ. Tibellus duttonii (p. [39]) is a long straw-colored spider, resembling Philodromus in its feet and head, but having a long slender abdomen, with two black spots.