& 30) ) [xvi 
moth; the type of coloration is as typical a warning 
coloration as the red and black of the Lycide 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 Mantide; 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 malabarensis, Walck., 
in 8. 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 Zrigona apicalis, one of Dedlemera coleta 
and four of Cosmolestes picticeps, 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. 
