BY AV. J. RAINBOW. 545 



an3^thing else, and which seem to be perfectly indiiferent as to 

 whether they fabricate a retreat or nest, or whether they adopt 

 for their use the untenanted habitation of other species, and even 

 the deserted cocoons of insects. I have, for instance, found 

 individuals occupying empty cocoons of a cup moth (Dorafifera), 

 while others of the same species, and in the same locality, 

 were lurking within silken tubes.* Speaking of this feature of 

 their natural history, Wagner says : — " It is a j^'^opos to note 

 here that of all the spiders with which I am acquainted, the 

 Attid^ are the greatest amateurs [les plus grands amateurs], and 

 during moulting or nesting take possession not onl}^ of those of 

 other families such as the Clubionidie, Drassidse, Theridiidse, &c., 

 but even those of insects, as well as those of other animals."! The 

 nest, when one is made, closely resembles the retreat, differing 

 from it in so far that it is never open, and that the walls are 

 thicker and more closely woven. The cocoons are spherical, 

 thinly and loosely woven, and look very like a ball of fluff, and are 

 always Secured to one of the walls at the centre of the nest. 

 During the period of incubation and the early days of the infancy 

 of her progeny, the female never quits the nest: the young ones 

 remain for a considerable time with their parent, but she never 

 procures nourishment for them, nor, indeed, do they require any 

 until after their first moult. When, however, this has been 

 accomplished, they leave their home, and commence to hunt and 

 stalk their prey. 



An old writer, Evelyn, in his work, " Travels in Italy," gives a 

 remarkable and lively description of the tactics adopted by these 

 spiders in hunting and stalking their prey, which, to say the least, 

 is decidedly amusing, and concludes his remarks by observing. 

 " I have beheld them instructing their young ones how to hunt, 

 which they would sometimes discipline for not w^ell observing: but 

 •when any of the old ones did (as sometimes) miss a leap, they 



* Since the above was written I have found representatives of the Attidtv 

 dwelling within the interior of the dead bodies of beetles. 



t Loc. cit., p. 68. 



