242 Dr. W. Rae Slierriffs on 



pair of shoulder prominences on the abdomen. The vuiva 

 has a particularly long, fine, slender scape. 



$ found all on orb-webs, which have a very faint stabili- 

 mentum arranged as one diagonal or one stroke of the x of 

 Argiope's, web, the stroke from light to left. All were found 

 resting at the centre of the webs at 11 A.M. These webs 

 were all on the banks at the road-sides and were all in the 

 shade. The spiders keep always behind the web and the 

 bank. The white stabilimentum may be found arranged 

 vertically ; webs found over running water between bushes. 



<$ found at 5 P.M. on a small perfect orb-web of his own. 

 The web-strands completely crossed over the hill-path, a 

 distance of some 5 feet. Spider was at the centre of the web, 

 which had no stabilimentum. Is this the spider whose 

 threads catch your face so frequently in the dark as you pass 

 along the path ? 



Sometimes the webs have no stabilimentum. They are 

 always above the ground, often as much as 5 feet, suspended 

 between the brandies of bushes and of trees. 



Locality. Coonoor, Karteri, Kodanad, Kotagiri, Pykara, 

 and Ootacamund, all on the Nilgiris. 



55. Araneus miiifica (Sim.). 



A beautiful green spider with the abdomen dorsally grey, 

 marked prettily with characteristic black spots. Found 

 always on the leaf of a hedge with the orb-web near by. The 

 spider rests on the leaf under a light silk tunnel, and then 

 rushes out when a victim alights on the orb-web, which, if 

 damaged, is repaired every now and then. Found on 

 Lantana frequently and other bushes. Interesting, as thus 

 having the same habits as A. melanocrania. 



Locality. Madras city ; Kotagiri. 



56. Araneus (Zilla) melanocrania (Thor.). 



Web is a small orb, but the spider never takes up its 

 position on the web, but always within a curled up leaf close 

 by* The small cocoon is fixed near the leaf, within which 

 the spider rests, or may be sometimes actually within the leaf 

 beside the spider herself. 



The cocoon is 6 mm. at greatest diameter. The one I 

 opened contained 125 eggs, besides young spiders. There is 

 no stout outer covering to the cocoon, which consists simply 

 of fine yellow threads lightly woven together. 



The small size of the spider, its blackish head, reddish 



