MATERNAL INSTINCTS : MOTHERHOOD. 



181 



who swing their cocoons free, as Argiope and Theridium ; that is to say, 

 the spider hangs witli her back downward while ovipositing. But in many 

 cases of females tliat have cocooned for me in boxes, tlie eggs must liave 

 been placed in tlio reverse position, since tlie 

 cocoon was attaclicd to the bottom of the box. ^-^^^^-^y 

 Of course, the species that fasten their ^^> 

 cocoons to various surfaces, as do many 

 Epeiras and most Tubeweavers, deposit tiie 

 eggs downwards. Other tixed cocoons have as ^^°- '^'^"- Epeira stnx placing eggs into a 



„, , • r„ ii 1 „ 11 J r flossy boll of silk. (After Emerton.) 



manifestly been placed upwards, as, for ex- 

 ample, those spun on the under surface of stones, fallen logs, etc. Others, 

 again, have been laid while the spider was in a vertical i)Osition, as when 

 cocooning upon loose bark of trees and similar vertical sites. The bodily 

 attitude appears to make little or no difference as to tlie facility with 

 which the female can deposit her eggs. Whether directing tliem u[)ward 

 (with the dorsum towards the earth), or directing them downward (with 

 the dorsum towards the sky), or depositing them against a vertical surface, 

 with the head downward or upward, as the case may be, the mother is 

 able to empty the ovaries with equal comfort and ease. 



Mr. Emerton has observed several species in the act of ovipositing, and 

 his brief notes upon the manner thereof are as follows i^ Epeira strix first 

 . spins a rounded bunch of loose threads, into the middle of which 



itilig.°^ she discharges her eggs, as shown in Fig. 237. The eggs, which 

 are little drops of jelly, are held up by the loose threads until 

 the spider has time to spin for them a covering of strong silk. It is to 

 be regretted that the description here is so indefinite, as the term "cov- 

 ering of strong silk " may imply either the flossy boll which is invari- 

 ably found to surround the egg mass of Epeira, or the smooth textured 

 silken bag which immediately encloses the eggs and against which the 

 flossy blanketing is laid. When a cocoon of Epeira strix and others of 

 similar habit is cut open, this silken encasement is invariably seen, and 



it presents the aj^pearance of having been 

 the original substance against which the 

 eggs were directly laid. 



The same author has been fortunate 

 enough to observe the mode of positing 

 eggs with tfl-o other tribes. The female 

 Drassus (Fig. 238), spins a little web 



Fig. 238. Female Drassus in the act of drop- acrOSS her nCSt and drOpS the CggS UpOll 

 ping eggs. (After Emerton.) . ,.,.,,..- 



it. ihey are soft, and mixed with liquid, 

 and are discharged in one or two drops, like jelly. They quickly suck up 

 the liquid, and become dry on the surface, sometimes adhering slowly 



' Habits and Struoture, page 101. 



