538 



DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW ARANEIDiE, 



his legs firmly grasping her abdomen, the act of copulation is 

 performed, after which he has to be very active in dropping out 

 of the web, and placing himself beyond her reach, or else he will 

 pay the penalty with his life. 



Although of the tribe Orbituhe, Dicrostichus magnificus (avte, 

 p. 523) does not fabricate an orbitular snare. The web of this 

 species is of a distinctly retitelarian character. The nest is com- 

 posed of a number of dead leaves (Fig. 2), and were it not for the 

 silken threads with which they are bound together, would put one 

 in mind of a miniature bird's nest rather than that of a spider's. 

 The tube or retreat is long, lined with silk, and very cleverly con- 

 structed.* Attached sometimes to leaves connected with the nest, 



and sometimes to adjacent objects, sticks, 

 cfec, are the egg-bags or cocoons (Fig. 3). 

 These vary in number: usually there are 

 three, but occasionally five. The cocoons 

 are of a pale yellowish or straw-colour, 

 about 3-^- inches long and 2| inches in girth" 

 at their widest part. Each cocoon has a 

 narrow neck about three-quarters of an 

 inch in length, after which it bulges out 

 strongly until the maximum width is 

 attained; from thence it gradually tapers 

 off, terminating finally with a blunt, 

 rounded point. The walls of the cocoons 

 Fig-. 3. are exceedingly closely woven, smooth, and 



tough; within they are sparingly lined with loose, colourless silk. 

 Surrounding the nest there is a numerous array of retitelarian lines, 

 crossing and interlacing each other from every possible angle. 

 The whole structure is exceedingly complicated, and, so far as the 

 web is concerned, there is no attempt whatever at design. The 

 denser portion of the mesh is placed at the side, and as near as 

 possible on a line with the nest. Often when rambling through 



* I am indebted to my colleague, Mr. Edgar R. Waite, for the excellent 

 drawing of the iiest of this spider. — VV.J.R. 



