F. M. CAMPBELL OBSERVATIONS ON" SPIDERS. 47 



scions, ■U'ould iin]>lT tliat it preferrccl to continue to play a part at 

 the expense of its lite, when the object of that part was preserva- 

 tion. Notwithstanding: the above remarks, I do not think that all 

 creatures which I'emain motionless under circumstances likely to 

 frighten them, are unconscious. I refer to those animals, etc., such 

 as the hedgehog, armadillo, wood-louse, snail, and parasitic Chrysi- 

 didae, which, having some parts of their body harder than the rest, 

 use them as a shield. In such cases immobility may be regarded 

 as a necessity of their attitude of protection. 



In connexion with this subject the question naturally arises as to 

 whether insects show any sign of fear in the presence of spiders. 

 Expenence acquired from the observation of animals given to 

 reptiles for food would lead one to think this would rarely be the 

 case. Birds and mammals fly and run against the heads of snakes, 

 and even rest there, frightening them much more than they do 

 themselves, and the same is true of flies and spiders. I have only 

 once observed an attitude in a fly which might be taken as coinci- 

 dent with kataplexy, which is Dr. Preyer's term for the paralysis 

 caused by fright. The fly was about an inch and a half from a 

 Tegenaria domestica, and was busily cleaning itself, when suddenly it 

 stood motionless in the very act of rubbing its crossed legs together, 

 and remained so until it was shortly afterwards seized. This could 

 not be explained by the spider having previously struck it with its 

 fangs, palpi, or legs, for such was not the case. Mr. Belt states 

 that he has seen cockroaches retreat in full haste Avhen they had 

 accidentally approached a large spider.*" 



General Remarks. 



Spiders have enemies also. They often fall victims to members 

 of their own order, and to "harvest-spiders" (Phalangidoe), wasps, 

 hornets, lizards, toads, centipedes, squirrels, etc. Several of the 

 Pompilidae prey upon them, and convey them, when paralysed by 

 a sling, to their burrows, where they are stored as food for the 

 young brood. Some of the Ichneumonidue lay their eggs in the 

 cocoons, the puncture presenting the appearance of the prick of 

 a pin. This seems to be very common, if I may judge from the 

 number of instances which I have met with. Ants will quickly 

 seize a disabled spider, and the Rev. 0. P. Cambridge writes : f 

 "The large red ant of our woods, Formica rufa, destroys them 

 so completely that in those localities thickly inhabited by the ant 

 I have generally found it almost useless to search for spiders." 



In winter spiders are to be found under all kinds of cover, 

 whether it be a brick, a long tuft of grass, an untidy side of a 

 haystack, moss, or a collection of leaves. A careful shaking of these 

 over a square yard of calico will soon reveal their contents. In 

 spring, summer, and autumn they are also to be sought for on 

 their webs, on railings, and on the ground, basking in the sun, 



* ' The Naturalist in Xicaragua,' p. 110. 

 t ' Spiders of Dorset,' vol. i, p. xxxi. 



