32 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AKD THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



introduced, and lie also adopted the role of a bully. After driving his 

 smaller companions about for a time, he was engaged in devouring a gnat, 

 when the original bully emerged from some leaves, got sight of 



Philseus 

 militaris. 



the newcomer, and at once aj^proached, bristling with pride and 

 ire. His first legs were raised high as if to strike, his palps 

 vibrated with excitement, his abdomen dragged first on one side and then 

 on the other. Number Two was evidently of good courage, for he held 

 his ground and, not relinquishing the gnat, raised his legs and clinched 

 with his antagonist. The battle raged for five minutes, and resulted in 

 Number One robbing his antagonist of his dinner and chasing him igno- 

 miniously away. For several days following, life in the mating box was 

 robbed of its monotony by perpetual battles among the males. The 

 females, in eluding them, jumped and suspended themselves from threads. 

 On one occasion, the big bully who had now lost his mate, invaded the 

 home of the lesser bully while the owner was out seeking food. The first 

 time this happened the rightful proprietor, upon his return, ejected the 

 invader without ceremony. The second time the two had a prolonged 



struggle, clinching, and falling thus hooked 

 together a distance of about twelve inches, 

 the height of the box. (Fig. 12.) Some time 

 afterward the two males wandered about, 

 fighting whenever they met.^ 



These notes give a brief picture of the 

 general character of the observa- 

 ^^S- tions made by Professor Peckham. 



Fig. 12. PositioD in battle of two males of nacity : Thcv indicate first that the males 



Philseus militaris. (After Peckham.) Summary -^ ' ' 



after maturity, and during the 

 mating season especially, are addicted to frequent quarrels. 



Second, their mode of combat consists in thrashing each other with their 

 fore legs, clinching with the mandibles, tugging and dragging each other 

 about, and generally tumbling and scratching one another with their claws. 



Third, tliese conflicts, although they present the appearance of extreme 

 ferocity and deadly purpose, rarely, if ever, result fatally. 



Fovirth, the females are usually disinterested witnesses of the duels be- 

 tween their attendants, although, in point of fact, the victorious rival re- 

 ceives whatever favors she may have to bestow. 



Fifth, the combativeness, or, at least, the actual combats of male spiders 

 are much more frequent between the Wanderers, who, by reason of their 

 errant mode of life, necessarily come into close contact with one another 

 during their rival courtships. The habits of the Sedentary tribes, which 

 keep them stationary at fixed points of the snare, tend to hold the males 

 separate from one another, and thus conduce to peace. 



Idem, pages 52, 53. 



