May, 1920] Studies in Food of Spiders 235 



Metepeira labyrinthea Hentz. 



Metepeira labyrinthea was not a common species in the 

 localities where it was studied. The web of this spider consists 

 of both an orb web and an irregular web. The orb web is built 

 below and in front of an irregular web. A retreat is made in 

 the irregular net. This retreat is made of leaves so placed as to 

 make a small tent for the spider. One or more trap lines extend 

 from the retreat to the orb web. When an insect becomes 

 entangled in the orb web the spider descends on the trap line 

 and ties it up in the web. If the spider is in need of food the 

 insect is taken back to the retreat where the soft parts are eaten 

 and the remaining parts are thrown from the web. The web 

 of this spider was found in bushes and berry patches but it was 

 not common either at Crestline or Columbus. 



Lecauge venusta Walckenaer. 



This is one of our most beautiful spiders. It is green tinged 

 with silvery white and golden. Although it is widely distributed 

 it was not abundant in the places where it has been observed. 

 The web of this spider is of the complete orb type and is built 

 horizontally and not vertically as is most often the case with 

 orb weavers. 



The webs were found usually around shrubbery or in the 

 woods. Deep woods is preferred to more open places. I have 

 frequently found a web stretched across the top of a hollow 

 stump. An old log house which was frequently visited, was 

 one of the places where this spider was abundant. The webs 

 here were constructed between the old logs which were the sills 

 for the floor, the old board floor having been removed. A lilac 

 bush on the sheltered side of the house where the board siding 

 had been removed projected into the open space. Lecauge 

 seemed partial to constructing its web inside the house and 

 attaching some of the "guy" lines to this bush. Often these 

 lines were ten or twelve feet long. No barrier web was built 

 but the spider usually remained on one of these lines above the 

 web and when an insect struck the web it ran down the line to 

 capture the insect. 



Sometimes in webs which were constructed in other places, 

 the spider remained in the center of the hub. Although this 

 spider was carefully studied wherever it was found, the lack of 



