I8 3 3.] SPIDERS. 7 



adhering to the lines, would otherwise be wasted. When frightened, 

 this little spider either feigns death by extending its front legs, or 

 suddenly drops from the web. A large Epeira of the same division 

 with Epeira tuberculata and conica is extremely common, especially in 

 dry situations. Its web, which is generally placed among the great 

 leaves of the common agave, is sometimes strengthened near the centre 

 by a pair or even four zigzag ribbons, which connect two adjoining 

 rays. When any large insect, as a grasshopper or wasp, is caught, the 

 spider, by a dexterous movement, makes it revolve very rapidly, and 

 at the same time emitting a band of threads from its spinners, soon 

 envelops its prey in a case like the cocoon of a silkworm. The spider 

 now examines the powerless victim, and gives the fatal bite on the 

 hinder part of its thorax ; then retreating, patiently waits till the poison 

 has taken effect. The virulence of this poison may be judged of from 

 the fact that in half a minute I opened the mesh, and found a large 

 wasp quite lifeless. This Epeira always stands xvith its head down- 

 wards near the centre of the web. When disturbed, it acts differently 

 according to circumstances : if there is a thicket below, it suddenly 

 falls down; and I have distinctly seen the thread from the spinners 

 lengthened by the animal while yet stationary, as preparatory to its 

 fall. If the ground is clear beneath, the Epeira seldom falls, but moves 

 quickly through a central passage from one to the other side. When 

 still further disturbed, it practises a most curious manoeuvre : standing 

 in the middle, it violently jerks the web, which is attached to elastic 

 twigs, till at last the whole acquires such a rapid vibratory movement, 

 that even the outline of the spider's body becomes indistinct. 



It is well known that most of the British spiders, when a large insect 

 is caught in their webs, endeavour to cut the lines and liberate their 

 prey, to save their nets from being entirely spoiled. I once, however, 

 saw in a hot-house in Shropshire a large female wasp caught in the 

 irregular web of a quite small spider ; and this spider, instead of cutting 

 the web, most perseveringly continued to entangle the body, and 

 especially the wings, of its prey. The wasp at first aimed in vain 

 repeated thrusts with its sting at its little antagonist Pitying the 

 wasp, after allowing it to struggle for more than an hour, I killed it and 

 put it back into the web. The spider soon returned; and an hour 

 afterwards I was much surprised to find it with its jaws buried in the 

 orifice, through which the sting is protruded by the living wasp. I 

 drove the spider away two or three times, but for the next twenty-four 

 hours I always found it again sucking at the same place. The spider 

 became much distended by the juices of its prey, which was many 

 times larger than itself. 



I may here just mention, that I found, near St. Fe Bajada, many large 

 black spiders, with ruby-coloured marks on their backs, having gre- 

 garious habits. The webs were placed vertically, as is invariably the 

 case with the genus Epeira : they were separated from each other by a 

 space of about two feet, but were all attached to certain common lines, 

 which were of great length, and extended to all parts of the community. 

 In this manner the tops of some large bushes were encompassed by 



