300 THE COLOURS OF ANIMALS 



there appeared to be complete agreement.' Icius sp. was 

 "watched for hours under natural conditions as well as 

 in confinement. * A dozen or more males and about 

 half as many females were assembled together within 

 the length of one of the rails. The males were 

 rushing hither and thither, dancing opposite now one 

 female and now another ; often two males met each 

 other, when a short passage of arms followed. They 

 waved their first legs, sidled back and forth, and 

 then rushed together and clinched, but quickly sepa- 

 rated, neither being hurt, only to run off in search of 

 fairer foes.' 



The dangers of courtship were also often witnessed. 

 A male of Hasarius Hoyi continued to advance after 

 the female had shown signs of impatience, ' when she 

 seized him and seemed to hold him by the head for a 

 minute, he struggling. At last he freed himself and 

 ran away. This same male after a time courted her 

 successfully.' The male of Phidijjjms ru/us w^as caught 

 and eaten when he insisted upon showing off his fine 

 points too persistently. The single female of Phidippus 

 morsitans under observation ' was a savage monster. 

 The two males that we provided for her had offered 

 her only the merest civilities, when she leaped upon 

 them and killed them.' The first pair of legs are long 

 and covered with white hairs in the male : ' it was 

 while one of the males was waving these handsome 

 legs over his head that he was seized by his mate and 

 devoured.' 



