WOOING AND MATING. 



27 



strong enough to protect the origins of life. It may be added here that 

 the only two species of Orbweavers which are said never to repel the ad- 

 vances of the male are those belonging to the genera Tetragnatha and 

 Pachagnatha — genera, b}' the way, which are marked by the most formidal^le 

 developments of the mandibles, particularly in the male, the chief organs 

 of attack and defense among spiders. This would seem to Ije an example 

 of the theory that the best way to insure peace is to be thoroughly pre- 

 pared for and formidable in war. 



V. 



While the above facts represent the relations between the sexes of spiders 

 as they generally exist, there are some exceptions which present our araneads 

 under a more domestic character. Among the Retitelarise and 

 many families of the Theridioids, the males dwell a long time 

 with the females on the same web. I have fre- 

 More Do- q^ently observed the male jjf Theridium tepedari- 

 -rx -.-f orum, the most ferocious and formidable of our 

 common species, stationed with comparative secur- 

 ity upon the cobweb of the female. The interesting little 

 black Lineweaver, known as Steatoda borealis, I have very 

 often found underneath stones, or in webs of crossed lines in 

 other situations, where the two sexes dwelt together in ap- 

 parent harmony. I believe that this is an habitual domestic 

 characteristic of this species. The pretty Lineweaver, Liny- 

 phia costata,! also belongs to the few American species known 

 to me of which the male and female occupy a common home. 

 I have nearly always seen them together upon the same slight snare of 

 lines stretched between the edges of a leaf, or in like situations. 



Dolomedes mirabilis of Europe is said to share with the female the care 

 of their posterity. He will take up the cocoon which the female drops, 

 place it under his breast, and defend it until the little ones are 

 hatched.-^ The males of Epeira apoclisa of Europe are said to 

 xjiviiig dwell with the females in the same nest, without inflicting or re- 

 ceiving injury. According to De Geer the male and female of 

 Epeira fusca dwell harmoniously near each other, at least in the spring- 

 time. The male is a little apart from the female, and sometimes ventures 

 to promenade the common web without receiving any injury from his 

 partner.-'^ Walckenaer confirms this observation.* The little English spider, 

 Ergatis benigna, has earned its pleasant specific name "benigna" by the 

 fact that she lives peaceably with her husband in the same nest. This is 



Fig. 8. Male (up- 

 per figure) and 

 female of Stea- 

 toda borealis. 



Sexes 

 Living- 



' The Linyphia phrygiana of Europe, according to Emerton. 

 * L'Hist. Nat. des Insectes, Tom. 7, page 236. 



' Walckenaer. 



* Apt., Vol. II., page 85. 



