143 



is, probably, no spicier so abundant in the United States, or so 

 well known to the observer of nature. It makes an irregular 

 web in somewhat retired corners, and usually in dark situations, 

 but occasionally also in the open air. The thread of this web 

 is not very strong, bvit, by its skill and its activity, the spider 

 makes up for the deficiency. The moment it feels by the 

 vibrations that an insect is caught, it proceeds to the spot with 

 caution, if the prisoner is a large one, and with its posterior 

 legs it throws additional threads, with which it binds the victim 

 with surprising rapidity. As soon as the insect is securely 

 bound, it grasps the end of one of its legs with the fangs of its 

 cheliceres, with which it inflicts a wound which stupefies it in a 

 few seconds. If the prey be not too heavy, it lifts it up to the 

 upper part of its web, where it abides ; but when the insect is 

 a very large one, it continually throws more threads around it, 

 and from time to time ascends to the top with additional liga- 

 tures, which it firmly fixes to the main threads, and which it 

 pulls as tight as possible. These, by their elasticity, gradually 

 tend to lift up the insect, which by its struggles catches and 

 entangles the threads around its limbs, and in course of time it 

 is hoisted to the top, though the process sometimes continues 

 two and even three days. I have seen an Ateuchus (^Copro- 

 hius) volvens thus lifted up by a little Theridion vulgare. In 

 this case the captured victim probably weighed eighty or a 

 hundred times as much as its destroyer. I have also seen large 

 silk-worms hung up by spiders of this species. In that case 

 the weight raised was still greater. Its cocoon is placed also at 

 the top of the web. It is of a brownish color, and made of 

 somewhat loose threads. The eggs are not glued [273] to- 

 gether, and hatch early. Many cocoons are fi*equently seen on 

 the same web, though usually there is but one at a lime with 

 eggs, the others being previously vacated. This proves the 

 immense propagation of this common tenant of our houses. 



This spider differs from some other species in its never con- 

 cealing its home in holes or crevices. 



Habitat. All the United States. 



