FART I-COURTSHIP AND MATING OF SFIDERS. 



CHAPTEE I. 

 WOOING AND MATING OF ORBWEAVERS. 



I. 



There is nothing in the life history of spiders that seems to me more 

 mysterious and wonderful than the faculty by which the male finds the 

 female to fulfill his office in Nature and fertilize the eggs. Over all diffi- 

 culties and distance, through the midst often of a. multitude of 

 The Mys- individuals of various families and genei'a, and with apparently 

 ,, Z- unfailing accuracv, the males of the sevei'al species find their 



appropriate mates. 



It is impossible to determine definitely how wide is the circuit over 

 which is scattered any single brood of spiderlings after its exode from the 

 cocoon. Circumstances may confine all the individuals to a comparatively 

 narrow space. More commonly, perhaps, through the aeronautic habit, by 

 the agency of passing winds, they are dispersed throughout a wide region. 

 Under ordinary circumstances, at least, the space is practically impassible 

 by spiders whose habits are as sedentary as those of Orbweavers. Yet such 

 is the power of the marital sense, and so strong and true the guidance of 

 sexual feeling, that, over all barriers of environment the male reaches his 

 proper consort. As far as I know, he never makes a mistake by falling 

 upon the web of an alien species. At all events, if such error occurs, he 

 knows enough to promptly turn away. 



The partner whom the Orbweaver gallant seeks is commonly seated in 

 a well isolated nest, or at the hub of her snare, separated by a distance of 

 several inclies from him as he travels over the leaves, twigs, and 

 "^^^ _ other material upon which the foundations of the orb are hung. 



Q^^tf. (See Fig. 1.) The errant lover's difficulty in finding a mate must 

 His Mate certainly be increased by this fact, for in his cautious approaches 

 he is not able to draw very near, but must determine through a 

 distance relatively great the question of identity: "Is this a partner of my 

 species or not?" He touches tlie outer foundation line of the orb, and 

 determines the question from that position. If he is satisfied, he settles 

 near or upon the web, and awaits the issue of bis courtship. 



And now, how has he determined, simply from contact with the snare 

 spun by his chosen spouse, that this is the individual whom he seeks'? 



(IS) 



