South Indian Arachnology. 241 



52. Araneus rumpfi (Thor.) = ^. decens (Thor.) = 

 A. hispida (Dol.) = J. rufofemorata (Sim.) 



is the commonest species, and greatly resembles A. 

 naulicus in colour and markings. It is very common on 

 Calotropis gigantea on Madras Beach. The cocoon is very 

 loosely woven and flocculent in appearance, no stout outer 

 covering being present. The eggs enclosed within one 

 cocoon examined numbered 1464. These cocoons are very 

 common on the golf course at Kotagiri and also on the banks 

 at the road-sides attached to twigs. 



This species is very fond of making its web against the 

 wall of the house at dusk, then taking up its position in the 

 centre of the web with its back to the wall. During the day 

 it rests in one corner, to which a strand of the web leads. It 

 is very inert when gently handled. If smartly touched this 

 spider drops at once to the ground on its own thread, and if 

 not further molested, after a short time, it climbs up again to 

 the old position. 



At the centre of the web, over which the spider places itself, 

 there is sometimes a small white mass of thickened thread, 

 which cannot be considered as buing of the nature of a 

 stabilimentum. 



A. rumpfi is extremely variable in colour and markings on 

 the dorsal surface of the abdomen. 



Locality. Madras city ; Hillgrove, Coonoor and Kotagiri 

 on the Nilgiris. 



53. Araneus bilunifer 1 (Poc). 



With two small very conspicuous white circular spots 

 on the front part of the abdomen dorsally. This species 

 resembles A. rumpfi in its vulva and scape, and has the same 

 habits as A. rumpfi and A. nauticus, being found with its 

 web under the eaves of the verandah. It rests in the corner 

 of the verandah during the day. The presence of the two 

 conspicuous spots alone connects it with Pocock's species 

 bilunifer, for it differs from his description in having no 

 shoulder processes on the abdomen, in the prevailing colour 

 not being yellowish but dark grey, in the nature of the vulva, 

 and in its size, for it is only 11 mm. long and quite adult. 



Locality. "Carolina," Coonoor, Nilgiris. 



54. Araneus mitralus (Sim.). 



? resembles a small Cyrtophora citricola at first sight, but 

 the posterior extremity is not bifid, and there is only a single 



