308 NORMAN E. M'lNDOO. 



a white-winged dipteron fly into the snare. In an instant the 

 female seized the insect, then ran back to the male. The latter 

 then ran to the other side of the snare. In a few minutes another 

 white-winged dipteron flew into the snare near the male, and he 

 lost no time in seizing it. Several other times these diptera 

 flew against the snare but failed to be entangled in its meshes. 

 In each case the spiders made a dash for the would-be victim 

 while holding one insect in their mandibles. At an earlier date 

 a spider at this same place was seen eating a white-winged dip- 

 teron. On various dates at "14" one was caught eating a 

 myriopod; one, a small gnat; and several were caught under an 

 old turtle's shell with thysanurans. 1 At "19" two or three were 

 observed in a mouse trap with some cheese. At "40" one was 

 caught under an old piece of meat with a small white thysanuran 

 in its mandibles. At "43" one was eating a white-winged 

 dipteron, this spider was running on the wall. At "50" one 

 was seen in its snare eating a small myriopod. 



This spider is usually very peaceful. Neither in the caves 

 nor in captivity have I ever seen them to show the least signs 

 of pugnacity when they came in contact with each other. Never- 

 theless it appears certain that they at times eat each other. A 

 few times their remains have been found in the snares. A few 

 remains were observed in the glass cases in which they were 

 sometimes kept in the laboratory. Quite a number of times 

 remains were found in the collecting vials the next morning when 

 three or four were left in the same vial over night. 



When bits of dirt were thrown into the snares, the spiders 

 ran away quickly. Blind beetles were caught and tossed into 

 the snares. At the instant when the beetles struck the snare, 

 the spiders ran and with a jump seized the victim. Neither the 

 web, nor spider, nor both together were strong enough to hold 

 the beetle. Large flies were also thrown into the snare \\iih 

 the same results. The spiders always seized their prey and held 

 on tenaciously until the last second. Small flies and mosquitoes 

 were likewise tossed into the snares. In each case the spider 

 made a quirk run and with a jump seized the victims and held 



'Here as elsewhere used in broad sense to include both Tliysannra and Collem- 

 bola. 



