LOVE D.iNCKS OF SALTIURADES. 



53 



Again he danced sidewise before her, strutting and showing oif like a 

 peacock, wliirling around and around. Professor Peckham at first supposed 

 that this turning around was accidental, but it hap- 

 pened so regularl}' at a certain stage of 

 courtship, tliat he conciluded that it was an 

 important part of his display, serving the 

 K'tter to sliow liis brilliant abdomen. ^ 

 In ap2)roac]iing the female the males of Phila;us 

 niilitaris were very eager and fairly quiv- 

 ered with excitement. The first two legs 

 were raised over the head and curved toward 

 each other, so that the tips nearly met, and the palps 

 were moved up and down. (Fig. 28.)- 



Astia vittata is peculiar in the fact that it has two well marked male 

 forms, which shade into each other, but maintain at least one characteristic 



distinction, namely, three tufts of hair which mark 



the black form, niger. Mrs. Peckham was kind 



enough to send me a box in which were packed 



a number of specimens of the female 



and both varieties of the male, in order 



Color 

 Evolu 

 tions. 



Philfeus 

 militaris. 



Fig. 28. Position of male 

 Philseus militaris wlien ap- 

 proaching the female. (Af- 

 ter Peckham.) 



Fig. 29. Male Astia vittata in danc- 



Dervish 



Dance of . 



Astia ^'-''''■^ ^ might witness these remarkable 

 courtship dances. This was jjrior to the 

 receipt of tlie work from which I have been quot- 

 ing, and I had but a hint of what I miglit expect, 

 and how best to proceed. Moreover, my specimens 

 unfortunately, arrived in a bad condition. All 

 were dead except one female and two males, and 

 the latter were much dilapidated, one of them par- 

 ing position before female. (From ticularly being apparently in a dying condition. I 



succeeded, however, in resuscitating both males by 



doses of water and good nursing. One of them 



in a short time seemed quite well. 



I placed the three together in a box, and had 



the privilege of observing, in some degree, what 



the Peckhams have so fully described. Tlie most 



lively male at once began animated movements, 



which were evidently induced by the presence of 



the female, who, however, ran away and kept cir- 

 cling around the box, running over the walls and pj^ gp 



climbing upon the glass cover without showing 



any disposition to respond to the advances made. 



The male threw liimseK into what may be described as a rampant position 



The male of Astia vittata 

 in the act of vaulting during a 

 love dance. (From Nature.) 



' Idem, page 49. ^ Idem, page 51. 



