66 SPIDERS [CH. 



A Pirata was selected for experiment. It offered 

 great resistance to the removal of the cocoon, seizing 

 it with its jaws and trying to escape with it. When 

 it had been taken away the mother displayed great 

 uneasiness, searching for it in all directions. It was 

 returned to her after an hour and a half, when she 

 received it eagerly and immediately attached it in 

 the usual position. 



From three others of the same species the cocoons 

 were removed and restored after thirteen, fourteen 

 and a half, and sixteen hours respectively. All 

 remembered them and took them back immediately. 

 But twenty-four hours seemed to be the extreme 

 limit of their memory ; after that interval two of the 

 mothers refused to have anything to do with their 

 cocoons, while the third only resumed hers, slowly 

 and without any enthusiasm, after it had been placed 

 before her seven times in succession. Some other 

 species seemed to possess a rather longer memory, 

 but the experimenters found no Lycosid constant 

 in her affection for so long a period as forty-eight 

 hours. 



We have said that Lycosid spiders see com- 

 paratively well ; yet, if they are placed within an 

 inch or two of their cocoons they may be quite a 

 long time finding them. This is very puzzling until 

 it is considered that its habitual position is such that 

 the spider never sees it. She never has seen it since 



