life-history oj Atijpus piceus. 



411 



head end crawling down at the side of the tube ; the tail 

 end held for some time, until I gave it a gentle pull, 

 when it was released immediately. I held another worm 

 a dozen times each at various tubes ; one spider came 

 up, and, just when I expected it to strike, it backed and 

 pulled the tube in deep. Another struck four times and 

 quickly relaxed its hold, refusing to take it in. The other 

 did the same— not one would retain their hold after 

 apparently tasting the worm. I made a hole in one tube 

 and forced the worm to crawl down ; a few days after 

 the mutilated remains were lying outside. 



On September 1st, 1884, a blow-fly which I put to a 

 tube was seized by its ovipositor and one leg, and before 

 any attempt was made to pull it in the spider reversed it. 

 On September 7th I offered drone and blow-flies, all of 

 which were seized from behind, and in every case 

 reversed before being dragged down the tube. 



On September 25th I teased a large tube in No. 2 

 colony ; it moved a little. I then placed my finger just 

 above the subterranean part, then, continuing to tease 

 the end with a piece of twig, it was seized ; down went 

 my finger, imprisoning the spider in the aerial part, 

 which I tore open, and was amazed to find an immense 

 mature male. After boxing him I drew up the tube, 

 finding the female at the bottom. This is the only time 

 I have ever found the male nearest the iop of the tube. 

 In every other instance he has invariably been at the 

 extreme lower end, the female above. 



I had noticed that all the flies offered to hanging tubes 

 had been seized from behind; this I could not quite 

 understand, but on thinking over the subject I fancied 

 the spider might l)e in the habit of striking underneath. 

 I immediately obtained a supply of flies ; taking one I 

 held it in the'same way as before, by its wings, the head 

 up, and allowing it to walk up the bank until it stepped 

 upon a tube hanging down, with the result that the 

 fangs were driven in from behind. I then carefully 

 examined and found the tips were pointing up and 

 towards the commencement of the aerial portion, showing 

 that the spider was then head downwards, on its back ! 



I repeated this experiment upon every tube hanging 

 down, and in every case with the same result. I then 

 tried upon the tubes in the upright or normal position, 

 having the end attached to grass-stems, &c. Holding 



