262 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



There is no difference between the aeronautic habit of these araneads 

 and that of spiders in other parts of the United States. Moreover, obser- 

 vations of naturalists on ballooning spiders in various ({uarters of tlie globe 

 show that the same methods everywhere i)revail. It will be further ob- 

 served that the notes relate chiefly to Lycosids, which appear to be univer- 

 sally addicted to the ballooning habit. This is probably true of all Citi- 

 grades. It is worthy of special notice that these ground spiders, when 

 seeking aeronautic flight, take pains to seek some elevated spot as a point 

 of departure. This is not limited to the Lycosids, for Mr. Enock speaks 



of young Atypinse in Eng- 

 land securing an easy and un- 

 obstructed flight in the same 

 way. The instinctive impulse 

 which urges spiderlings to 

 leave their resorts on the 

 ground and seek sjiots essen- 

 tial for favorable ascent, cer- 

 tainly has the appearance of 

 reasoning intelligence. At all 

 events, the younglings, by 

 whatever jirocess they reach 

 the conclusion, do the best 

 thing possible to aid their 

 ballooning enterprise. 



Example No. 1. A young 

 Lycosid, apparently Lycosa 

 scutulata Hentz, Avas posed 

 on the side of a fence post 

 opposite the wind, face down- 

 wards, abdomen elevated, the 

 body raised by the legs. I 

 followed it after flight for two 

 hundred feet; it rose as high 

 as thirty feet before it was lost to sight. Its flight was across a wide 

 meadow, and promised to be a long one. Several threads were streaming 

 out and up behind and before the spider. 



No. 2. A Saltigrade, probably the young of Astia vittata, was posed 

 on tlie side of a fence board opposite the wind. Its legs were elevated, 

 thus raising up the body ; the abdomen was turned well nigh straight 

 upward ; a long thread floated out and up from the spinnerets. The 

 spider walked several inches upward along the rail, keeping its body in 

 the same stilted position, the thread meanwhile flying. Then it was off, 

 rather slowly, and about on a line with my face. It showed, in motion, 

 one small thread in front and one (or more) behind. It moved straight 



Fro. 275. Ballooning Lycosids ascending from a fence post, 

 and floating before the wind. 



