514 LIFE : OUTLINES OF GENERAL BIOLOGY 



the female is aroused in a peculiar way by her suitor's vibrations, 

 while to others she may be indifferent or react in hostility. She 

 waits expectantly, and in the species we ar? thinking of {Agelcna 

 labyrinthica), she falls at his touch into a cataleptic swoon, of which 

 he takes his full advantage. But what impresses one most is the 

 frequent subtlety of the business, as when, in another type, the 

 male pulls the threads of the female's web in a pi^uliar way, and 

 taps impatiently, now at one angle and then at another, around 

 his desired mate's retreat, delivering, as the French observer says, 

 "une veritable supplication amoureuse". The female resix)nds, and 

 there is a — what shall we say? — telegraphic, or teletactile, courting. 

 After the exchange of sentiments has lasted for half an hour, the 

 female may be induced to come out; and then he takes her by the 

 hand and leads her away. There are many different forms of this 

 tactile signalling, and several are well seen in the family to which 

 our Garden Spider belongs. Here there is the added complexity that 

 the female sometimes puts an abrupt end to the performance by 

 rushing at her suitor and killing him. But this episode has been 

 badly exaggerated, for the cannibalism, which is only occasional, 

 usually means that the male has not been courting properly. If he 

 is too crude in his on-coming, or if he has forgotten to bring a gift, 

 why, he must be punished! 



In the Proceedings of the Zoological Society for August 1929, 

 Mr. W. S. Bristowe gives a circumstantial account of the mating 

 habits of many British spiders; and one cannot but be impressed 

 by the long gradation from rough-and-ready capture of a mate to 

 elaborate forms of courtship, in which the display or appeal may be 

 visual, tactile, or olfactory, and by signalling from a distance as 

 well as by contact or close proximity. 



What is the meaning it all? Part of the answer is doubtless to be 

 found in two facts frequently observed by Mr. Bristowe. The first 

 is that the eager male has to face a female with a strong killing 

 instinct, even keener than his own. In many cases it is part of the 

 spider's organic or hereditary make-up to rush at or leap upon a 

 moving object that suggests a possible meal. Thus as the male 

 approaches the female, usually larger and often much larger than 

 himself, he stands in considerable danger of being killed or injured. 

 But once a male has been "recognised " by a female he is relatively 

 safe. Hence the importance of letting her know as soon as possible 

 who he is. This may be effected by displaying characteristic decora- 

 tions, or making characteristic movements and vibrations, or by 

 offering a gift, or by exuding a characteristic odour. 



The second important fact is that, while the recognising female 

 may let her suitor pass if he behaves himself, she may be so unin- 

 terested, or unready or preoccupied that she will not respond to 

 his advances. Hence the value of some form of courtship which may 



