86 SPIDERS [CH. 



females, which they imprisoned in webs spun for the 

 purpose until they had undergone their last moult 

 and were mature, chasing away all intruders in the 

 interval. 



The jumping spiders furnish a much stronger case 

 for those who believe that ornamentation plays an 

 important part in sexual selection than do either birds 

 or butterflies. With regard to the birds it has been 

 objected, first, that there is little evidence that the 

 females pay much attention to the antics of the 

 males, and secondly, that practically all the male 

 birds pair, whatever their claims to pre-eminent 

 beauty. Now in the case of the jumping spiders the 

 females follow the performances of the males with 

 the utmost attention, and seeing that the males are 

 present in large numbers when the females begin to 

 appear, the latter are certainly in the position to 

 reject such mates as do not please them. 



The mere relation of the results of this most 

 interesting investigation conveys no hint of the 

 unwearied patience and close observation necessary 

 to those who would surprise the secrets of nature. 

 One is apt to infer that it is only needful to place 

 some spiders in a box, establish oneself in an arm 

 chair, and ring on the performance, so to speak. 

 The Peck hams modestly remark : "The courtship of 

 spiders is a very tedious affair. We shall condense 

 our descriptions as much as possible, but it must be 



