108 



THE STUDY OF ANIMAL LIFE CHAP. 



however ; let us return to the pictures. We talk about romance 

 listen to these patient observers : 



" On reaching the country we found that the males of Saitis 

 pulex were mature and were waiting for the females, as is the way 

 with both spiders and insects. In this species there is but little 

 difference between the sexes. On May 24th we found a mature 

 female and placed her in one of the larger boxes, and the next day 

 we put a male in with her. He saw her as she stood perfectly 

 still, twelve inches away. The glance seemed to excite him, and 

 he at once moved toward her. When some four inches from her 

 he stood still, and then began the most remarkable performances 

 that an amorous male could offer to an admiring female. She eyed 



FIG. 30. Two MALE SPIDERS (Zygoballus bellini) FIGHTING. 

 (After G. W. and E. G. Peckham.) 



him eagerly, changing her position from time to time, so that he 

 might always be in view. He, raising his whole body on one side 

 by straightening out the legs, and lowering it on the other by fold- 

 ing the first two pairs of legs up and under, leaned so far over as 

 to be in danger of losing his balance, which he only maintained by 

 sidling rapidly toward the lowered side. The palpus, too, on this side 

 was turned back to correspond to the direction of the legs nearest 

 it. He moved in a semicircle of about two inches, and then in- 

 stantly reversed the position of the legs and circled in the opposite 

 direction, gradually approaching nearer and nearer to the female. 

 Now she dashes toward him, while he, raising his first pair of legs. 

 extends them upward and forward as if to hold her off, but withal 

 slowly retreats. Again and again he circles from side to side, she 

 gazing toward him in a softer mood, evidently admiring the grace 

 of his antics. This is repeated until we have counted one hundred 

 and eleven circles made by the ardent little male. Now he ap- 



