1903.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 97 



The differences in the time of hatching are probably due as much 

 to differences in the thickness of the cocoons as to any such factor 

 as temperature. 



Care of the Young. — I have seen no evidences that the mother guards 

 in any way either her cocoons or her young. The young make their 

 own way out of the cocoon, making an opening or openings at the 

 margin where the cover is joined to the base; that the mother does 

 not tear the cocoon open for them is proved by the cases Avhere the 

 yoimg emerge at a point that is inaccessible to the mother. 



Feeding. — This is rather a timid species, the great protection afforded 

 by the tubular portion of the web compensating for want of strength, 

 and they rarely attack prey as large as themselves, and usually avoid 

 much smaller spiders. The prey is killed by biting, and after being 

 sucked dry is usually left hanging in the web. The males especially 

 are frequently eager for water. 



Agalena naevia Walck. PI. IV, fig. 4. 



Individuals observed, males: No. 72, captured May 11, moulted May 24, June 

 7, July 3, July 28, died September 30 (starvation) ; No. 303, captured July 9, 

 moulted August 2, killed by ^ No. 243, August 20. 



Individuals observed, females: No. 73, captured May 11, moulted May 13, 25, 

 June 7, 29, July 13, August 5, still living; No. 206, captured June 16, moulted 

 June 29, July 27, died in December; No. 243, captured June 22, moulted July 3, 

 July 28, died in November. 



Moult.— The first moult of ? No. 73 commenced at 11.08 P.M., she 

 hanging with her spinnerets and feet attached to the roof of the cage. 

 The old skin spht into a dorsal and a ventral piece, separated by a 

 horizontal break along the sides of the abdomen, along the sides of the 

 cephalothorax above the legs and below the eyes. She slowly fell 

 out of the split exuvia, with the help of slight convulsive movements 

 of the body and legs. Her legs were completely freed at 11.15, and 

 at 11.23 she hung head down attached to the exuvia only by the 

 spinnerets. At 11.39 she climbed into the web. The new skin is 

 at first much lighter than it becomes on exposure to the air. 



Mating. — The two cases seen were these : 



(1) 9 No. 73. cJ^No. 72 was placed upon her web on August 21, at 

 10.20 A.^I. Both were immovable up to 12.00, when I left them. On 

 my return at 12.40 his fore-legs were touching hers. At 12.47 he shook 

 his body. At 1.20 she flexed her legs close to her sides, he being then 

 upon the web half an inch above her. At 1.26 he seized her from 

 above, his head pointing toward her spinnerets, and tapped her abdo- 

 men several times with his first pair of legs, she motionless. At 1.36 

 he left her; she remained inert until 1.46, then moved somewhat, 

 7 



