70 AMERICAN SPIDKKS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



of Professor Bertkau exemplifies the worst that may be apprehended in 

 cases of bites by our largest species. Nevertheless, it is not denied that 

 under certain constitutional conditions of the bitten person, the stroke of a 

 spider's fangs may produce far more serious results, or, in extremely rare 

 cases, even death, a consequence, however, whicli might issue under like 

 conditions from the sting or puncture of acculeate or irritating insects. 



VIII. 



The following facts in the courtship of Lycosa tigrina are recorded 



by Mrs. Treat. ^ It should have been inserted among mating habits in 



Vol. II., Chapter II., but was inadvertently omitted. The males 



Tignnas qJ ^jjj^ gpecies are different in appearance from the females, being 



,°^'" a yellowish color with dashes of dark brown ; the body is some- 



snip. •' 



what smaller, though fhe legs are longer. In August the males 



are abundant. They were often seen bounding over grass and weeds, 



making long strides, fairly flying before the passer by. At such times 



it is extremely difficult to capture them. 



One of these vagrant males was observed to api)roach tlie burrow of a 

 female, who had stretched above the vestibule of her den a projecting cover, 

 something like a hood or the to}) of a baby coach. When the female was 

 within the Ijurrow, the male stood at the door sometimes hours together. 

 Nothing would induce him to venture within, and he was wouderfull}' ob- 

 livious of the observer's presence. An effort was made to push him into 

 the den, but he would back out and find refuge in one's hand rather than 

 be driven into the burrow. At last the female slowly advanced to meet 

 him, and he slowly retreated from the mouth of the den, moving back- 

 ward while she moved forward, just reaching him with the tips of her 

 fore legs, as if caressing him- She followed him in tins way a foot or 

 more, then left him and returned quickly to her den, he in the meanwhile 

 following her to the door where he kept his post until she came forth, 

 when the same performance was repeated. 



At the next visit the male was found on the back of the female with 

 their heads within the burrow, and their long hind legs sticking out. This 

 is the position assumed by the spider when he fertilizes the eggs, as may 

 be seen by consulting Vol. II., Cliai)ter II., Fig. 50. The two remained 

 perfectly still until they were picked up by the observer and dropped into 

 a wide mouthed glass bottle. This action displaced the male, who 

 ^^^ crouched in a helpless sort of way as if paralyzed with fear, not 



-p . trying to make Ids escape at all. For a few moments the female 



paid no attention to him, but made vigorous efforts to escape. 

 Soon, however, she observed her partner, pounced upon him, seized him 

 on the underside of the head, literally by the throat. He made but feeble 



' American Naturalist, August, 1879. 



