1903.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. HI 



(3) Q No. 129: June 2 (hatched June 14); June 24. 2 cocoons. 



(4) 9 No. 154 : June 3 (hatched June 15) ; June 8; June 24 (hatched) ; 

 July 24 (this was the incompleted cocoon described above, the eggs 

 shriveled up); August 6 (eggs did not develop); August 15 (only a 

 few of the ova hatched) ; September 1 (hatched). A total of 7 cocoons. 



(5) ? No. 156: June 28 (this cocoon contained no ova). 



(6) 9 No. 202: June 14 (hatched June 28); June 24 (hatched July 

 8) ; July 3 (hatched July 14) ; July 12. A total of 4 cocoons. 



(7) 9 No. 204: July 14, the ova after a few days were shaken out 

 of this cocoon into a test-tube to see if they would develop, and they 

 all hatched on June 26. 



(8) 9 No. 253: July 24 (hatched August 4); July .30; August 6; 

 August 16; August 27. A total of 5 cocoons. 



Probably the rapidity in the succession of the cocoons is directly 

 dependent upon the richness of the food supply. The time of hatching 

 would be dependent, among other factors such as temperature, upon 

 the thickness of the cocoon covering through which the young have 

 to escape. 



Care of the Young. — There seems to be solicitude for neither the 

 cocoons nor the young, though the mother will not eat the latter. 

 The mother does not guard the cocoons, and she stays near them simply 

 because they are generally placed in that highest portion of the web 

 where she is accustomed to dwell. Sometimes on the introduction of 

 a fly, the mother will enshroud it alongside of a cocoon, and after 

 sucking it dry, will cut it, with the cocoon, loose from the web; such 

 fallen cocoons are not lifted again into the web. The young, on hatch- 

 ing, move in the direction of the strongest light, whereas mature indi- 

 viduals avoid the light ; this instinct would serve to scatter them from 

 the maternal home. 



Feeding. — Living prey is recognized entirely by its pulling upon the 

 web lines; and this species is one of the boldest of our local spiders, 

 attacking without jiesitation insects and spiders much larger than itself. 

 That is, the females do, but the males are much more timid. A rush 

 is made toward the struggling insect, a line of silk attached to it, and 

 then the spider, hanging by her first pair of legs, applies the issuing 

 silk thread to the victim's surface by the very rapid application of the 

 three last pairs of legs. Not until the victim is closely enshrouded 

 does the spider bite it, and she enshrouds just up to that point when 

 the victim is rendered motionless by the envelope of silk. Often the 

 enshrouded prey is carried to another part of the web to be eaten ; and 

 after being sucked dry is bitten loose from the web and allowed to fall 

 out of it. 



