236 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 



The <J A. anasuja is fairly common daring the cold 

 weather along with the ? on the bushes of Madras Beach. 

 It is very much smaller than the ? and of a plain brown- 

 purple. I have noticed on the bushes (1) the tiny $ on the 

 same big web as the ? but at the respectful distance from 

 her, (2) the ^ on a small web of his own either in front of 

 or behind and parallel to the big web, (3) two <$ on the same 

 web as the ? , (4) $ on same web as ? but immediately 

 behind her. The male measures 4 mm. and the female 

 12 mm. Simon (i. p. 765) gives the size of the male as 

 one-fifth that of the ? . 



The small immature ? are often found, each on a small 

 web of her own which has no stabilimentum proper, but 

 sometimes the central part of the web is marked by a white 

 lacewoik of stronger threads in the centre, against which the 

 spider rests. 



The mature ? is always found upon the stabilimentum at 

 the centre of the vertical web head downwards. When 

 alarmed she always raises her body outwards from the web, 

 and then suddenly pops through the hole at the centre of the 

 web behind her to the other side. 



Locality. Madras city and Beach ; Chingleput. Seen 

 but seldom on the Nilgiris at Kotagiri. 



The small commensals Argyrodes argentatus common on 

 the big webs of the ? sometimes come close up to and touch 

 the big Argiope's leg, which she quickly moves away. She 

 does not attack the small silvery intruder, which probably 

 has very limited vision. 



41. Argiope taprobanica (Thor.). 



Very like A. anasuja in colour and appearance, and has 

 the same type of stabilimentum. Its cocoon, however, is light 

 green and triangular in outline, enclosing the compact 

 central mass of eggs. Each side of the cocoon measures 

 about 4 - 5 cm. Probably the distinctive shape of the cocoon 

 may be helpful as here in distinguishing the species and so 

 in other cases. 



Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon. 



42. Argiope cemula ( Walck.). 



Easily recognized because its abdomen is not pentagonal 

 in outline. 



Locality. Nawalapitiya, Ceylon. 



Pocock in * Marvels of the Universe ' (Hutchinson & Co.) 

 calls Argiope by the trivial name of the X-ray spider. He 



