386 Hentz^s Descriptiojis of the 



she soon returned alone to his rescue. She ascended and 

 took him in her arms, at which moment she was shot ; the 

 ball passing through the fore arm of the young one in its 

 course to the heart of the mother. Other instances have 

 been known in which the mother, otherwise timid and fleeing 

 from the presence of man, forsaken by her mate, has fallen a 

 sacrifice to the force of natural affection. In a recent case, 

 the mother, when discovered, remained upon the tree with 

 her offspring, watching intently the movements of the hunter. 

 As he took aim, she motioned with her hand precisely in the 

 manner of a human being, to have him desist and go away. 

 When the wound has not proved instantly fatal, they have 

 been known to stop the flow of blood by pressing with the 

 hand upon the part, and when this did not succeed, to apply 

 leaves and grass. 



When shot they give a sort of screech not very unlike that 

 of a human being in sudden and acute distress. In their 

 gambols, their cry is like the whoop of a native, varied as 

 to volume and strength, which, with the drumming upon logs 

 and other discordant noises and various uncouth movements, 

 make up a scene perfectly unique, defying all descripti on. 



ART. XXXI. — DESCRIPTIONS AND FIGURES OF THE ARANEIDES 



OF THE UNITED STATES. By Nicholas Mahcellus Hentz, Flor- 

 ence, Alabama. 



[Continued from page 231.] 



3. LYCOSA LENTA. 



Plate XVII. Figs. 1—4. 



Description, Piceous, hairy ; cephalothorax, with a waved 

 fascia of a dark color and several pale marks. Abdomen with 

 two longitudinal rows of indistinct black spots above, beneath 

 with a large black spot, with a yellowish mark in the centre. 

 A pale variety occurred in North Carolina, without the yellow 

 mark. 



