110 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



of all the eggs at once. The first lot, when extruded, were protected in 

 the usual manner. Subsequently Nature compelled the mother to get rid 

 of the remaining eggs; and, moved by tlie same impulse which covered 

 the first lot, she was excited to overspin the second also. 



This species will sometimes make a cocoon, or a part of one, in con- 

 finement, anil I have observed tliat she will occasionally do the same in 

 natural site. 1 have the branch of a bush which shows the beginning of 

 a cocoon, Ijeing the little cup against which the eggs are spun, and also 

 what appears to be the inner egg bag. Tliere is nothing more, and the 

 whole is stayed and .shut in by the usual tent like spinningwork. Near by 

 is a perfect cocoon, secured in quite the same manner. If we sui)pose 

 that these two were made by the same spider, as is highly prol)able, we 

 may infer that the original cocooning purpose of tlie mother was diverted 

 in some manner, perhaps by alarm, which drove her from the spot. She 

 returned to enclose the work partiall}' done, l)ut, moved l>y the urgency of 

 motherhood, presently found a neighboring site, and finished her maternal 

 duties. 



Epeira diademata habitually spins l>ut one cocoon; l)nt the Spanish 

 investigator, Termeyer,^ in tlie early part of this century, di.seovered and 

 announced that she would spin as many as six cocoons when specially 

 nourished. The fact strikes me as an extraordinary one, and I have never 

 felt quite free to fully admit it. 



' Walckeiuu'vV Aptercs, Vol. I., ]>at;e 1.32. 



