84 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



Fig. 50. Fig. 51. Fig. m.. 



Fig. 50. Cocoon of Argiope argyraspis. X 2. Fig. 51. Interior, showing 

 padding, eggs, and the egg cover. Fig. 52. Side view of the egg cover. 



the manner of suspension, as well as the character of the egg case, Argen- 

 teola resembles her congeners.^ 



A cocoon, when dissected, shows two principal parts — the basal sheet 

 above referred to, and the cup or case which is set upon it. Both these 



parts consist of closely 

 woven silk, like that 

 which forms the out- 

 er ease of Cophinaria 

 and Argyraspis, the 

 latter of which it most 

 resembles. This cup 

 is of a yellow or yel- 

 lowish green color, 

 and the deep green 

 tints appear most de- 

 cidedly in slight flossy tufts, which here and there overspread it. The 

 inner surface of the basal sheet is overspread with 

 white silk. Within the case is a ball of 

 „ white flossy curled silk, which forms the 



inner upholstery of the nest. It thus ap- 

 2?ears, that while the cocoonery of this remarkable 

 spider resembles that of Epeira in its external shape 

 and the nature of the interior furnishing, yet in 

 the texture of the case and manner of suspension 

 it is like the cocoonery of its congeners. In the 

 example produced in my trying box the basal 

 slieet is hung vertically. If it were susjaended hor- 

 izontally, with the egg case downward (Fig. 54), it 

 would closely resemble an Argyraspis' cocoon. 



Mrs. Eigenmann tells mo that Argenteola makes 

 more tlian one cocoon. A specimen which had spun 

 a web in her sitting room placed a cocoon upon it somewhat in the posi- 

 tion observed by myself, as above described ; but 

 shortly after (the time is not specified) a second 

 cocoon was formed ui)on the web about two inches 

 below the first one. A few days previous to this 

 cocooning the spider neglected to eat, and paid 

 no attention to the flies placed upon her web. 

 The discoverer had concluded that the creature's 



Fig. 53. Cocoon of Argiope ar- 

 genteola ; front view. Natural 

 size. 



Pig. .54. Cocoon of Argiope ar- 

 genteola; side view. About nat^ 

 ural size. 



mission was ended and death would soon ensue, but was surprised to find 



' Koi'li has (U'scrilii'il si)eciep fnnn Soiitli .Aiuorica whii-h closely restnnble A. argenteola, 

 and perlia])s may lie the same. See Araehniilen, Tafeln 5-8, Fig. SliO, Arg. argentatus, and 

 Fig. 3()1, Arg. fenestrinus. 



