632 Theophilüs S. Painter, 



of females. Furthermore, that the tufted males would be equally 

 as numerous as the gray males. 



During the past season {Maevia matures the latter part of May, 

 here at New Haven), I have collected 156 specimens from the same 

 area of land, and, that the theoretical expectations are fulfilled, is 

 shown below. 



Females 82 



Tufted Males 34 



Gray Males 40 



Ratio of males to females ; 82 : 74 , which closely approximates 

 the theoretical, 1:1. 



Ratio of tufted males to gray males; 34:40, which also is close 

 to the theoretical, 1 : 1. 



Although the Peckhams State that the Maevia vittata is a very 

 common form, the Author has found that they are very erratic 

 in their distribution. It has often been noted, that, while specimens 

 may be caught in one section of woods, they will be entirely absent 

 from another tract of land, near by, which presents, as far as one 

 is able to judge, just the same conditions for life. 



Dancing of the Tufted and Gray Males. 



Observations were made on the dancing habits of the two 

 varieties of males while the Author was making matings, in order 

 to test certain conclusions arrived at in the cytological study. I 

 have had in the laboratory 9 gray males and 7 tufted specimens. 

 These have been put with females, from time to time, and their 

 behavior carefully noted. 



The dancing of the male Jumping Spiders has been thoroughly 

 described by the Peckhams (1889a and 1890). I quote from the 

 former paper: "A description of the two males is unnecessary, since 

 they are well represented in tab. 11. The two forms grade into 

 each other, excepting that the three tufts of hairs are only found 

 on the fuliy developed niger form. The vittata form, which is quite 

 like the female, when he approaches her, raises his first legs either so 

 as to point them forward or upward, keeping the palpi stiffly out- 

 stretched, while the tip of the abdomen is beut to the ground. This 

 Position he commonly takes when three or four inches away. While 

 he letains this attitude, he keeps curving and waving his legs in 



