vi PREFACE 



Our debt to the past is a very great one, and credit for our (often 

 presumed) deeper insight into the Araneae must to a considerable 

 extent go to the accumulation of information marshaled by the 

 pioneers. The facts brought together in this book are borrowed 

 largely from a fund of information available to all arachnologists, 

 and, while they reflect commendable knowledge, at the same time 

 they reveal comparative ignorance of much in the lives of the spin- 

 ning creatures. It is therefore the author's hope that this book will, 

 in addition to its other purposes, act as a stimulus to those eager to 

 unearth the many details still unknown. 



Most spiders are difficult subjects that try the patience and tech- 

 niques of photographers. It is thus particularly gratifying that an 

 excellent and representative collection of photographs was available 

 for use in this book. On the many colored and black-and-white 

 plates are depicted graphically the forms, patterns, and handiwork 

 of some of our commonest and most interesting spiders, almost all 

 from living subjects. To those who have offered their photographs, 

 many of them associates and personal friends, I extend my sincere 

 thanks and further express my admiration for their splendid work. 

 One of the contributors, George Elwood Jenks of Los Angeles, 

 died before the completion of this book, leaving behind distin- 

 guished pictorial explorations of the lives of spiders and their 

 enemies as a monument to his enthusiasm. To my friend and col- 

 league, Walker Van Riper of the Denver Museum of Natural His- 

 tory, I offer my special gratitude. In addition to placing his valuable 

 albums in my hands for use without reservation, he has aided ma- 

 terially in securing photographs of the subjects most needed. Fi- 

 nally, it is a privilege to acknowledge the contribution made by 

 Dr. B. J. Kaston of Connecticut State Teachers College at New 

 Britain, who, in spite of preoccupation with other work, found time 

 to read and criticize a large portion of this book. All the sugges- 

 tions he has made, which reflect his broad training in biology, have 

 resulted in material improvement of the manuscript. 



W. J. GERTSCH 



