192 NATURE SKETCHES IN TEMPERATE AMERICA 



whole of spiderdom, for activity is now expressed on every 

 side. The Httle yellow sand pellets encircling the openings 

 tell plainly that the spider year is nearing a close. How clearly 

 they are forewarned of the coming winter is evidenced by the 

 deepening of their retreats to get below the freezing line. But 

 this is not confined to spiderdom, for it is interesting to observe 

 that the neighboring beetles and other insects with one accord 

 churn up the soil by their burrow construction. In another 

 week the vernal spell is changed by lowering tenijicrature, 

 and now inactivity reigns upon the scene. On viewing the 

 spiders' castles, some have been sealed up with a silken screen 

 just inside the doorway, quite an effective barrier against 

 the first falling snow, spreading its white mantle over the 

 still landscape. Our Lycosid castle builders, one and all, 

 have gone to sleep, not to awaken until the sunshine carries 

 warmth again to their underground habitations,^ 



The Behaviok of a Jumping Spider 



One July day a neighbor brought me an interesting nest of 

 one of the jumping si)iders. This nest of Phidippus morsiians 

 was made of white flossy silk, as shown in our accompanying 

 photographic illustration. It was built within a large maple 

 leaf, which had turned brown by exposure to the weather. 

 The edges of this loaf were drawn together with a thick mesh 

 of silken threads and in the hollow recess thus formed she sur- 

 rounded her mass of eggs with a white flossy covering. A hole, 

 serving as a door renuiined open at one side, through which 

 the spider, who was still in her house, could pass in or out at 

 will. When this little leaf nest was found, it was located close 

 to the ground and attached to a number of green leaves and 

 sedges. I brought the nest into my study, leaving it on the 

 table, where the spider could enjoy a certain amount of liberty. 

 It was not long before she came out to make slight repairs on 



' Abstract of article from Entomoloffical New.i by the present author. 

 According to Chamberhiin, this species of spider is Lycosa fatifcr Hentz, see 

 "Proceedings .\cad. Nat. Sciences," LX, 1908, pp. 241-id4;J. My name, 

 Lycosa domifex, is said to be a synonyme, but there is some question on this 

 point, as my species is colored differently and the epiginura of the female differs 

 from fatifera. 



