( Ixvi ) 



moth ; the type of coloration is as typical a warning 

 coloration as the red and black of the Lycidse and the yellow 

 bands of wasps ; it was of interest then to note that the 

 spider rejected the black and white bee without the slightest 

 hesitation, whereas it tasted the less conspicuous red species. 

 The common black and white moth Deilemera coleta was also 

 thrown out of the web almost as soon as it was put in ; this 

 species is the only lepidopterous insect that I have ever found 

 to be refused invariably by Mantidas ; it is an extremely 

 common and conspicuous day-flying moth, and it was always a 

 matter of surprise to me that it was not mimicked by species 

 of other families of Lepidoptera. 



The only other records of feeding experiments carried out 

 with spiders that I am acquainted with, are those made by 

 Mr. G. A, K. Marshall on Nephilengys malaharensis, Walck., 

 in S. Africa ; these are described in the Transactions for 1902 

 in Mr. Marshall's great paper on the bionomics of South 

 African insects, and it is not necessary for me to quote them 

 at length. The experimenter offered to five spiders various 

 butterflies, some of which were denuded of their wing-scales, 

 whilst others had their wings amputated. Mr. Marshall from 

 his series of experiments concludes that spiders do not 

 appreciate warning colours, and believes " that the toughness 

 of inedible insects has been primarily developed to counteract 

 the injuries from invertebrate foes (which are incapable of 

 reasoning as to whether an insect is edible or not), and that 

 therein lies its chief utility, though it may prove useful 

 incidentally in other cases." My one experiment, if it does 

 not show that Nephila maculata is capable of appreciating 

 warning colours, does at least show that this species can 

 recognize without preliminary tasting some of the insects 

 distasteful to it ; absolutely no hesitation was shown in reject- 

 ing five examples of Trigona apicalis, one of Deilemera coleta 

 and four of Cosmolestes pictice2)s, but whether the colouring of 

 these insects or their form was the feature determining their 

 rejection by the spider is quite uncertain. 



It is much to be desired that further feeding experiments 

 on spiders be carried out, for they are almost the only insect 

 enemies that can be experimented on under natural conditions 



