34 



making her cocoon under a projecting portion of the looking- 

 glass frame. She had already made a bunch, apparently hollow, 

 of the fine wrinkled silk often found inside of spiders' cocoons. 

 She attached her spinnerets to the siljc already spun, then drew 

 them away six or eight millimetres, spinning out a short band of 

 fine threads which she attached again near the starting point 

 thus making a short loop. She then made other loops, moving 

 a short distance at each stroke, without following any regular 

 direction, until tired ; then rested a few minutes, and went on 

 with another part of the cocoon. After half an hour the spider 

 rested beneath the cocoon, with the opening of her ovaries 

 under the centre, and discharged her eggs upwards between 

 the threads into it. The eggs were very soft and flexible, and 

 formed, with a small amount of liquid, a jelly-like mass; which 

 became sphei-ical as soon as it found room in the cocoon. The 

 lower part protruded between the loose threads without flowing 

 through. In a minute the eggs were all laid, and the spider 

 began immediately to strengthen the lower part of the cocoon. 

 Several times I have had females of Epeira patagiata and 

 Epeira (^Argiope) riparia lay their eggs in bottles ; but, although 

 the cocoons were made, and, in the case of E. 7'iparia, finished 

 even to the smooth outside, the eggs were laid loose in the 

 bottle. The reason seems to be that, owing to the narrowness 

 of the bottle, after the si)ider had made the first part of the 

 cocoon, she could not get into a proper position to discharge her 

 eggs into it. J. H. Emerton. 



List of Noctuidae taken about Newton, Mass. 



The following list of Noctuidae, collected for the most part 

 by myself, in Newton and vicinity, during the last few years, 

 may be of interest. For the identification of a large number 

 of my specimens I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. A. R. 

 Grote. I have several species still undetermined, which I will 

 add as soon as I learn their names. 



