1903 ] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 105 



In this species the courtship, if the expression of eagerness may be 

 so called, comes evidently much more from the female than from the 

 male; and that the male is not able to satisfy the female is shown by 

 the fact that the latter continues her signalling for some time after the 

 copulation. The mode of sexual recognition is entirely by touch, b}^ 

 the tension of the web lines. 



The copulation I have observed many times. Both individuals 

 being on the lower surface of the w^eb (in small cages the female spinning 

 a horizontal web about half-way between the floor and the roof), on 

 the close approach of the male the female hangs to the web by the claws 

 of her third and fourth pairs of legs, her other legs hanging unattached, 

 so that her cephalothorax lies beneath her abdomen. The male places 

 himself parallel to her, his ventral surface opposite hers, his cephalo- 

 thorax also above her abdomen, his position in the web higher so that 

 liis head is opposite her epigynum, embracing her closely with his 

 second and third, sometimes also with the fourth pair of legs, while 

 his long first pair of legs beat about in the air. His palpi are applied 

 to her epigynum generally both at the same time ; sometimes only one 

 palpus is employed during one copulation. The length of time of the 

 application of the palpi is rarely 15 seconds, usually less than 10 seconds, 

 and all this time the female remains perfectly motionless. The copula- 

 tion completed, the male hurries away, or else falls down out of the 

 web and remains for some seconds motionless, his energies evidently 

 spent. After copulating he cleans his palpi with his jaws. Sometimes 

 the male has difficulty in inserting his palpi into the epigynal orifices, 

 and tries ineffectively many times while the female remains motionless. 

 The copulation is so soon over that I have not been able to determine 

 the exact action of the palpi during it. 



This species copulates very frequently, and there are several matings 

 preceding the making of each cocoon. The female appears always 

 eager except in the time of full pregnancy, and may mate with numer- 

 ous males, as the following data show : 



(1) ? No. 6 copulated with c?No. 7 at 7.53 P.M., April 29, and this 

 c? showing no more desire was removed at 9.25. Put him with her 

 April 30, copulation at 1.43 P.M. Again on April 30, at 11.12 P.M. 

 Again at 7.44 P.M., April 30, half a minute after he was put in. On 

 May 3 I put him with her again for two hours, but no copulation. On 

 May 4, copulation at 9.20 A.M., five minutes after he was put in; 

 and again at 8.39 P.M. and 8.43 P.M. May 5, put him in again at 

 7.59 P.M., copulation within half a minute, and a second one at 8.01. 

 On May 6, when I put him upon her web, she acted hostilely. May 8. 



