548 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Dec, 



FURTHER STUDIES ON THE ACTIVITIES OF ARANEADS, II. 



BY THOS. H. MONTGOMERY, JR. 



The following observations were made at Woods Hole, Mass., during 

 the Summer of 1909. For the identification of certain species my 

 thanks are due to Mr. Nathan Banks and to Prof. G. W. Peckham. 



1. The Process of Sperm-Induction. 



It will be recalled that Lister in 1678 discovered that the male 

 spider in coition applies his pedipalpal bulb to the genital aperture of 

 the female; and that Menge in 1843 found that the male charges his 

 palpi by depositing a drop of sperm upon a specially constructed 

 inclined sheeting, and then touching this drop with his palpal organs. 

 The latter process, termed by me sperm-induction, was seen by Menge 

 in Linyphia, Agelena, Tapinopa and Micrommata; by Blackwall 

 (1863) in Agelena; by Ausserer (1867) in Dicttjna and Linyphia; by 

 Bertkau (1875, 1876) in Philoica, Linyphia and Clubiona; by Westberg 

 (1900) in Linyphia; and by me (1903) in Tegenaria, Theridium, Dietyna 

 and two species of Lycosa. The exact literature references are given 

 in my paper of 1903; 1 consequently they need not be repeated here. 

 The process has been observed, accordingly, in only ten genera, repre- 

 sentatives of six families, so that the following new observations on 

 representatives of two other families are not without interest. It is 

 difficult to see this act, and success is obtained only by long con- 

 tinued watching of spiders kept in cages. 



The first species to be described is the common large Attid, Phidippus 

 purpuratus K. One male, No. 1524, was placed on 20 June in a cage 

 with two females, and copulated the same day with one of them. 

 The next day he avoided his mates, and at 5.32 P.M. was seen spinning 

 a small sheeting, from the floor to the side of the cage and inclined at 

 45°; four minutes later he deposited a minute drop of sperm upon it, 

 barely visible to the naked eye; then extending his body over the 

 sheeting, reached his palpi downward and backward, applying them in 

 alternation against the drop ; the palpal organs were pressed, not against 



1 Studies on the Habits of Spiders, particularly those of the Mating Period, 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, LV, 1903, p. 59. 



