1903] 169 



with infinite labour and patience, the spiders hauled up as near the 

 nest as possible, from whatever part of the web they might be in at 

 the time of capture. The prey, however, was never actually taken 

 into the inmost recesses of the nest. Hence the larvae were com- 

 pelled to seek it outside or go without it. 



The s])iders for the most part paid no heed to the larva), either 

 passing them by without notice or merely halting for a moment to 

 touch them inquiringly with feet or palpi. Now and again, however, 

 one was eaten by a spider after a careful examination but without 

 the display of avidity marking the manner of dealing with ordinary 

 prey. Whether the lives of the few larvas that were killed were 

 sacrificed to irrestrainable hunger or to aberration of instinct on the 

 part of the spiders, there is no evidence to show. It is certain, 

 however, that on the whole the larvae were safe from molestation. 



Pupation took place within the nest. The moths, which emerged 

 in small numbers in July, were perfectly at home in the web, being 

 gifted apparently, like the spiders themselves, with some safeguard 

 against the stickiness of the threads, which proved so fatal to other 

 insects. Whether the spiders would have eaten them or not, I am 

 quite unable to say. The moths certainly never gave them the chance. 

 No sooner did the insect feel the vibration of a spider's approach, 

 than it slipped away from the spot, using the long flexible antennae 

 to feel the way, and threading a passage through the network with a 

 swiftness and precision which soon put a safe distance between 

 itself and the slower and clumsier spider. 



Sometimes the moths would traverse a wider space in the web by 

 means of a short leap aided by slight lifting or half flutter of the 

 wings ; but flying in the ordinary sense of the word with wings out- 

 stretched to the full they never resorted to, possibly through fear of 

 entanglement. They never evinced any desire to leave the web. At 

 any time they might be seen resting on the threads or crawling 

 apparently aimlessly amongst them, now near the outskirts of the 

 snare, now in the vicinity of the nest. On cold dark days they 

 would seek the seclusion of the nest ; but the warmth of the sun 

 would always attract them to the open and stimulate their dormant 

 energies to activity. Pairing took place in the snare, and presumably 

 the females retired to the nest to dispose of their fertilised eggs. 



It is easy to see in what way the moths are benefited by associating 

 with the spiders. They secure an asylum safe from the attacks of 

 enemies, and food in abundance for their larvae. But it is by no 



