72 



SNODGRASS 



cocoon within the cavity of a dead pendent mangrove leaf having the 

 two edges rolled together (Plate in, fig. 2). The Chatham speci- 

 men was taken from an exposed cocoon containing the adult and 

 numerous young ones. 



DICTYNA PARIETALIS. 



Only one specimen seen. Taken at Tagus Cove, Albemarle Island, 

 from irregular network of straight threads spun about the end of an 



acacia twig. 



THERIDIUM MIXTUM. 



Found only on Albemarle, Narboro and James Islands. On Albe- 

 marle the species was found only on the dryer parts of the island. It 

 was abundant in the dry, brushy region surrounding Tagus Cove, but 

 none were found at Iguana Cove or in the mangrove swamps. Of the 

 two Narboro specimens one is from the southeast side of the island at 

 an elevation of about 1,500 feet, the other is from the mangrove swamp 

 at Mangrove Point. The James specimens were taken at James Bay. 



The webs constructed by this species on the Galapagos Islands gen- 

 erally consist of a large and irregular netsvork of threads spun across 

 one another in all directions, most frequently attached to the side of 

 the trunk of a Palo Santo tree (the only tree of the islands) or sus- 

 pended between the trunks of two neighboring trees. One was found 

 in the hollow of a dead Palo Santo stump. Often the web has the 

 form of a flat sheet. Two specimens taken at Tagus Cove had appar- 

 ently appropriated deserted webs of Epeira labyrinthea^ since they 

 were found in webs consisting in part of a network like that spun nor- 

 mally by their own species, but having connected with it also a reg- 

 ular orb. 



The spider remains in the center of the web concealed beneath a 

 shelter formed of bits of foreign material generally taken from the 

 immediate vicinity, and resembling an accidental accumulation of such 

 matter. For example, hiding places of webs in acacia bushes were 

 generally made of bits of acacia leaves; the hiding place of one sus- 

 pended in the hollow of a dead stump was made of pieces of dead wood, 

 while hiding places of webs on the sides of trees frequently had bits 

 of bark in them. The one specimen from James Island had its hiding 

 place formed of a small sheet of closely-spun silk in the center of the 

 web, together with a few bits of dead twigs and a dried leaf. In one 

 case the spider had for its nest a curled leaf bent into a U-shape, sus- 

 pended at the center of the web with the arms hanging downward 

 (Plate III, fig. 6). Beneath the middle of the leaf is an inverted cup- 

 shaped cavity used by the spider as its retreat. In another web was 



