Myers. — Bionomic Notes on some New Zealand Spiders. 



255 



after the manner of A. pustulosus, but contrary to the ascertained habit 

 of A. brouni. From the much commoner A. pustulosus, A. orientalis is 

 readily distinguished by her heavily annulated legs and the two pronounced 

 antero-dorsal prominences of the abdomen, in both of which characters she 

 approaches A. brouni. She differs from both in the almost complete 

 absence of a posterior prominence. 



With regard to the epigyne, Urquhart (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 20, 

 p. 121, 1888) gives the following description : " In mature examples a 

 black, somewhat oval, rather pointed, deep-margined lip about half as 

 broad as long, one-fourth longer than 

 breadth of vulva, projects backwards 

 from beneath the semi-pendulous pro- 

 cess of the corpus vulvae." Three 

 mature females have been carefully 

 examined, and the external genitalia 

 found to agree substantially with 

 Urquhart's description. The long 

 grooved lip is especially noticeable 

 and very distinct from anything pos- 

 sessed by A. brouni or A. pustulosus. 

 The parts are a deep, shining black. 

 (See figure.) 



While the pattern of the abdomen 

 seems constant, the ground-colour 

 may be a deep velvey reddish or an equally lustrous green, the whole 

 effect rendering Urquhart's name singularly appropriate. Recent experience 

 also has corroborated Urquhart's statements both with regard to the sub- 

 globose, dark-green cocoon, and the scanty irregularity of the web. The 

 male has not yet been found. Mature females occurred at Wanganui in 

 March and early April. 



Araneus orientalis : ? Epigyne. X 18. 



Araneus crassus Walck. 



This exceedingly common species exhibits several well-marked varieties, 

 all easily recognizable by the genital palp of the male and the epigyne of 

 the female, both well figured by de Dalmas. A variety with tesselated 

 abdomen and a transverse dorsal bar of china-white is exceptionally 

 handsome. 



The egg-cocoons may be found abundantly in late autumn. Dead 

 twigs, branching finely, may be incorporated in an angular capsule of 

 smooth, white, very tough silk, about f in. in greatest length, containing 

 the eggs surrounded by soft flocculent silk. Outside the cocoon is an 

 entanglement of fine light lines, sometimes extending in every direction for 

 3 in. Unlike most Epeirids, the mother, extremely shrunk after laying, 

 may often be seen crouching on the cocoon, in defence of which she will 

 bestir herself with unexpected vigour. Whole leaves may be joined and 

 covered with silk to form a portion of the nest, which owes its irregularity 

 to these chance supports. 



General Notes. 



The drone-fly (Evistalis tenax) was eaten with the greatest willingness 

 by Araneus pustulosus and by other species, in captivity and in the field . 

 This experiment is not, however, important, as both the fly and the bee 



