x] JUMPING SPIDERS 79 



placed on the top of the head, far apart from each 

 other, the more forward pair very small, the hind pair 

 of moderate size. In some Attid spiders these great 

 anterior eyes are wonderful objects under the micro- 

 scope, deep sea-green in hue and fringed with coloured 

 hairs. They form a veritable battery which the spider 

 brings to bear upon the object of its chase. Human 

 eyes, to match them in comparative size, would literally 

 have to be as large as saucers ! 



If we are in luck, we soon descry a Salticus 

 showing up boldly against the black surface of the 

 fence, and to set ourselves to watch its antics attent- 

 ively. One thing strikes us at once ; it is quite at 

 home on a perpendicular surface nay, on the under 

 side of a horizontal beam, for that matter. Now 

 a garden spider would have great difficulty in main- 

 taining itself in such a position unless well supplied 

 with silken lines to which to cling ; evidently there 

 is some difference in the structure of the feet of these 

 spiders which may be worth investigating later on. 



Also we notice some odd tricks of movement in 

 the jumping spider ; a curious way of exploring the 

 surface on which it is working by a succession of 

 short runs alternately with periods of absolute stillness 

 as though on the qui vive ; a noticeable freedom of 

 movement between the fore- and the hind- bodies so 

 that its battery of eyes may be directed to this 

 side or that ; sometimes an elevation of fore part 



