248 Dr. W. Rae Sherriffs on 



while the inner is short and blunt. Possibly Pocock may 

 have erred in his account. 



Locality. Koyencolam, Travancore. Previously reported 

 from Ceylon. 



Agelenidae. 



Agelena (Walck.), 1805. 



72.- Agelena inda? (PI. VI. fig. 11.) 



From the nature of the web this is seemingly a colonial 

 spider. The web is always on a bush — hill guava (Rhodo- 

 myrtus), Dodonea viscosa, box, rose, privet, and very 

 commonly on whin, — and has a distinct platform upon 

 which victims alight. The spider itself lies hid in the 

 densest central part of the web-mass, often within a curled 

 up withered leaf, the inside of which is lined by the silk of 

 the web. The cocoon is beautifully made and is attached 

 to the walls of the central chamber of the web by 9 or 10 

 radiating points. The cocoon is a dead-white and can often 

 be seen through the thin silk of the web, especially when the 

 web is not covered with debris. Sometimes three cocoons 

 are found all covered over with the debris of victims, cf. 

 beetles, bugs, and flies. 



Simon reports only one species of Agelena from India, 

 cf. Agelena inda, which may be this one. The cocoon is so 

 very unlike the typical one for the family as to be quite 

 peculiar and interesting. It measures 15 mm. at greatest 

 width and contained 52 young spiders. It has a very dense 

 white, outer covering. Simon (ii. p. 254) refers to the 

 female depositing her cocoon, which is flat and formed of two 

 concave discs, within the chamber which I have described 

 above as the cocoon itself. I have examined several of these 

 cocoons, and have found inside the mass of spiderlings 

 enclosed within a single sheet of very thin tissue only. The 

 web-mass consists of several leaves fastened together. Quite 

 recently when in Coorg I found the cocoon within the cocoon- 

 chamber as described above by Simon. 



Since Agelenids are very rare in the Tropics, this is pro- 

 bably accounted for by the fact that they are found only on 

 the hills above 3500 feet. Small Blattids and earwigs often 

 live in the web-mass, which may harbour two spiders. 



Locality. Kotagiri, Coonoor and Ootacauiund, all on the 

 Nilgiris. The spider is very common on whin-bushes in and 

 around Ootacamund at 7200 feet (April-October). Not 

 found on the plains. 



