216 RECORDS OK THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



it climbs. This process is repeated on each side of the huh, both 

 above and below, until the work is completed. 



The web is always suspended in a more or less vertical position, 

 with the ordinary framework and supporting lines, but if the 

 locality he one that is exposed to strong gusts of wind, an irregular 

 or retitelarian web may be spun, as a means of protection, on 

 either side of the orb. I have not infrequently seen such in the 

 scrub land around Botany Bay. When a retitelarian web is con- 

 structed in conjunction with the orb, the lines of the former are 

 continued both above and below the latter. McCook has noted 

 the same feature in connection with American spiders of the 

 genus Argiope. This retitelarian web being built in front of each 

 face of the orb, has been termed by the American author quoted 

 " protective wings," and he suggests that they may be a protec- 

 tion against hostile insects or other enemies hovering around the 

 web, the slightest touch of which on one or other of the protect- 

 ing wings would instantly telegraph the presence of an undesir- 

 able visitor, and so allow the legitimate tenant of the web time 

 to drop to the ground and seek cover. 



The cocoon of Argiope cetherea is much like that of Nephila 

 ventricosa, mihi, figured and described in my last paper upon 

 this subject.' 1 Usually it is found at the end of a twig of 

 some shrub hard by the maker's orb-web. Occasionally I have 

 seen one attached to the tops of the blades of some coarse grass 

 or at the tips of brackens, and sometimes amongst the stems of 

 the latter. The ova-sac is completely surrounded by a mass of 

 loose flocculent yellowish silk, and is composed of a thin, crisp, 

 papery substance; it is flask-like in shape, and perfectly imper- 

 vious to water. Within this papery shell there is another sac, 

 more or less bag-shaped, and this contains the eggs. Unlike the 

 outer or flask-shaped sac, this bag is soft and flexible. Inter- 

 posed between the outer walls of the latter, and the inner walls 

 of the flask-like structure there is a quantity of soft, loose, floccu- 

 lent silk, which completely surrounds the bag. Thus, it will be 

 seen, the eggs are admirably provided for in the way of protec- 

 tion, not only against heavy rains, but predatory foes such as 

 birds, lizards and mice. They do not wholly escape, however, — 

 nothing in nature ever does — for certain Hymenopterous insects, 

 such as Ichneumon flies, sometimes succeed in piercing the entire 

 mass with their long ovipositors. The eggs are of a glossy, trans- 

 lucent, yellowish tint. The cocoon of A. aitherea may be looked 

 for during the autumn months, and the spiderlings in spring. 



Rainbow— Aust. Mus. Uec. , vi., 5, 1907, pp. 336-7, tig. 53. 



