336 KKCORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



and ^V. hojmmii (Borneo) as well as Hogg's K. rahihoiri from 

 the Upper Endeavour River, Queensland. 



Npphila is almost entirely a tropical genus. Its range is " Orbis 

 totius reg. tropicfe et rariussub-tropica?."-' About a dozen species 

 occur in Australia, and one of them X. maenlata, Fab., the type 

 of the genus, occurs throughout tropical xlsia, Malaisia, and 

 Oceania. It is indeed, the commonest species collected by Island 

 missionaries. L. Koch, has described ten species from this con- 

 tinent ; W. S. Macleay, one ; and myself, five. Some of these 

 appear to be varieties of A", macnlata. The species are remarkable 

 for the great disparity in size of the sexes, the male being a 

 veritable pigmy in comparison with the female. Tiie act of 

 approaching the female when pairing is often fraught with grave 

 danger to tlse male, indeed he often falls to her as prey. Never- 

 theless, it is apparent from observation that " his size protects 

 him," for being so small he may at times approach without attrac- 

 ting her attention seeing that he invaribly does so from the rear, 

 but woe betide him if in his anxiety he vibrates the web ever so 

 little. Having safely approached, the male makes a sudden spring 

 which lands him on one of the hind legs of the female, from whence 

 he nimbly scrambles on to her back, eventually working his way 

 to the ventral position, where with his legs thrown round and 

 clasping tlie abdomen he inserts his palpi into the epigynum. The 

 act of coition accomplished, the male has still to exercise some 

 care in quitting the web, for delay would be disastrous to him. 

 A couple of seasons ago I made a curious observation, which proved 

 that the female may on occasion, notwithstanding her immense size, 

 succumb to the voracious appetite of the male. I had discovered 

 a NephUa ventricosa, mihi, in her web ; she had a male upon her 

 back (abdomen), and I noted that his fangs were buried therein, 

 and he was apparently — doubtless, after the act of coition — enjoy- 

 ing a meal. McCook has recorded a similar act of cannibalism 

 in connection with Arinwus strix, Hentz," and Baron Walckenaer,-' 

 to quote McCook, "saw a male of Epeira inclinata take advantage 

 of a female of his species, which was not able to stir without 

 difficulty being full of eggs, to attack, garrote, and eat her." This 

 species of cannibalism does not appear to have been often observed, 

 but I doubt not it is more common than generally supposed. 



The ova-sac of N. edivardsi and K. ventricosa, mihi, may be 

 noted around Sydney from the middle of March to the end of April, 

 or the commencement of May. The cocoons are oval and (fig. 53) 

 enveloped in a dense but loosely woven mass of bright yellow silk,. 



21 Simon — Ilisfc. Nat. des Araignoes, 2nd ed., i., 1892, p 755. 



■■^- McCook— American Spiders and tlie Spinning Work, ii., 1890 p. 24. 



'^'^ McCook — Loc. cit., Wulekaener, Apteres, i., p. 143. 



