1908] Araneae Ther a phosae of California 229 



which species we were digging out until the inmate itself was 

 reached. 



When disturbed, Brachythele takes a most spirited attitude 

 of defense and usually grabs quickly and savagely at whatever 

 is thrust toward it. If its fangs can penetrate the object intro- 

 duced, it holds on tenaciously; but if the object is a hard stick or 

 glass rod and resists the insertion of the fangs, the spider hesi- 

 tates a moment, then hastily retreats into the darkest corner 

 available. Upon further disturbance, and brought to bay, the 

 animal flops over on its back, and with legs and chelicerae spread, 

 fangs fully extended and often dripping with liquid, awaits an 

 opportunity to get in eft'ective work on its tormentor. 



Specimens in captivity go eagerly for water when it is pro- 

 vided after considerable neglect. They spread their chelicerae in 

 sucking up the fluid. They capture and devour individuals of 

 their own kind, as well as others, put in with them. One large 

 female caught and ate a small lizard, of the genus Gerrhonotus, 

 of some twelve centimeters length. Carabid beetles are favorite 

 food and their eletra are commonly found in the burrows out in 

 the field. A large tenebrionid, Eleodes, was placed in a cage 

 with several tarantulas, at dift'erent times; but not only does the 

 spider fail to attack the beetle, but it will either walk away from 

 it or permit itself to be literally w^alked all over by the tenebrionid. 

 This same beetle spent some two months in a cage with a large 

 male of Eurypelma, and is still alive; while a small Scelophorus 

 lizard spent but two or three da^'S in the cage before meeting the 

 fate of its cousin Gerrhonotus. 



Brachythele also suft'ers considerably, in nature, from the 

 attacks of the tarantula hawks, Pepsis. 



Atypoides riversi Cambr. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1883, p. 354. 



This species has been well described by Rev. O. P. Cambridge. 

 It has been reported from Berkeley, from Santa Clara Co., and 

 from the San Bernardino Mountains. I find it abundant along 

 shaded streams and in thickets in the foothills and mountains 

 wherever I have been, on both sides of the Santa Clara Valley, 

 between Guerneville and Forestville in Sonoma Co., and in the 

 pine forest of the Monterey Peninsula. It is probably to be 

 found thruout the Coast Ranges of California, in all forested 

 areas, if not also in the Sierras. I have seen no males, but 

 have no reason to question the description and drawings of 

 Cambridge. 



