508 THE MARMIGNATTO, OR MARMAONATTO. 



cocoon of a dish-like shape, measuring nearly half an inch in diameter, and attaches it fimly 

 to the under surface of stones, by means of a series of strong silken threads. The cocoon is 

 found about May and June. The outer surface of the cocoon is rather profusely studded with 

 patches of mud, in all probability to take off their too great brilliancy. 



The color of this species is simple, but pleasing. The cephalo-thorax and limbs are red- 

 dish-brown, and the abdomen is yellow, over which is drawn a broad black streak, narrowing 

 as it approaches the extremity of the abdomen. 



A very large genus, Theridion, is spread over the greater part of the world. These 

 spiders are mostly of small dimensions, some being extremely minute. Several of the tiny 

 spiders, popularly called Money-spinners, belong to this genus ; and, fortunately for them- 

 selves, they are protected from destruction by the prevailing notion that it is unlucky to kill 

 a money-spinner. 



A rather large species, inhabiting Corsica and known by the name of MAKMIGNATTO, or 

 MARMAGNATTO ( Theridion tredecim-guttatum), seems to be rather a formidable creature, its 

 bite causing much pain, even to man, and, according to Rossi, inducing most serious symp- 

 toms, which are only removable by sharp treatment and copious perspiration. It lives in the 

 open fields, and preys mostly upon insects of the grasshopper kind, stretching long threads 

 across the furrows, which serve to entangle the feet of the active insect, and enable the slower 

 Arachnida to make sure of its victims. When the spider finds a locust thus entangled, it 

 further secures the struggling insect by fresh threads spun over its feet and legs ; and when it 

 has fairly bound all its limbs, it mounts upon its victim and inflicts a fatal wound at the junc- 

 tion of the head with the neck. As soon as the locust has received the bite, it is attacked 

 with a violent convulsion through its whole frame, and dies almost instantaneously. 



This action seems to be universal throughout the Theridia, wherever a spider attacks a 

 large and powerful insect. In Webber's "Song Birds of America," there is an animated 

 account of a battle between a large cockroach and a spider, which seems to belong to this 

 genus. In this case, the cockroach struggled furiously, and was nearly escaping, had not the 

 little spider bethought itself of a new manoeuvre. "We had noticed him frequently attempt- 

 ing to bite through the sheath armor of the cockroach, but he seemed to have failed in pierc- 

 ing it. He now seemed determined to catch the two fore-legs that were free. After twenty 

 trials at least, he noosed one of them, and soon had it under his control. This pair of legs 

 was much more delicate than the others ; he instantly bit through the captured one. 



" The poison was not sufficient to affect the large mass of the cockroach a great deal, but 

 the leg seemed to give it much pain, and it bent its head forward to caress the wound with its 

 jaws ; and now the object of the cunning spider was apparent. He ran instantly to the old 

 position he had been routed from on the back of the neck, and, while the cockroach was 

 employed in soothing the smart of the bite, he succeeded in enveloping the head from the back 

 in such a way as to prevent the cockroach from straightening it out again, and, in a little 

 while more, had him bound in that position, and entirely surrounded by the web. A few 

 more last agonies, and the cockroach was dead, for the neck, bent forward in this way, 

 exposed a vital part beneath the sheath ; and we left the spider quietly luxuriating upon the 

 fruit of his weary contest. This battle between brute force and subtle sagacity lasted one 

 hour and a half." 



The color of the Marmignatto is deep black, with thirteen round spots on the abdomen, 

 one spot being blood-red. 



Another Theridion has been seen to catch its prey in a somewhat similar manner, netting 

 the insect in its silken toils, spinning thread after thread, and binding it tighter and tighter 

 to the spot, and at last killing it when fairly tied down, and then carrying it off to its 

 domicile. 



The genus Linyphia. As in the preceding genus, the generality of these spiders are of 

 very small dimensions. One species (Linyphia triangularis) is very plentiful, and towards 

 the end of summer or the beginning of autumn, its webs may be seen stretching across the 

 branches. Though but a very little spider, not so large as a grain of rice, it makes webs of 

 wide spread, laid horizontally, and carefully sustained by guy ropes attached to different 



