COMPARATIVE VIEWS OF VARIOUS MATING HABITS. 



73 



showed that the sides consisted of many shreds (Fig. 37, A), while the 

 intervening space was covered with an irregular mesh, which was doubtless 

 originally more systematically arranged. Here and there was a mass of 

 sci nen containing a fine, granulated substance (Fig. 37, B) of great refract- 

 ive power. The whole was in a very liquid state, and spermatozoa were 

 arranged singly above the threads. 



Immediately after the spider was secured, one of its palps was removed. 

 The vesiculum seminis was charged with spermatozoa, even to the embolos, 

 where they were plainly seen at intervals. He could not, however, discover- 

 any on the external parts of the palpus. Menge is entitled to the credit 

 of discovering the relation between the male palpus and the male abdom- 

 inal sexual organ. 1 



Ausserer confirmed the observations of Menge in studies of Linyphia 

 triangularis and Dictyna benigna. 2 Bertkau, following the same line of 

 investigation with Linyphia montana and another 

 species, corroborated these statements. 3 



In the act of copulation Blackwall observed, what 

 I have recorded of Linyphia marginata, that the 

 palps were frequently conveyed to the mouth. He 

 saw a male Lycosa lugubrius apply his palps eighty 



times to the vulva of the female without 

 ^PP^^" the possibility of bringing it into contact 



with the inferior surface of its abdomen, 



except by a very conspicuous change of 

 position. As an equal number of similar acts was 

 performed by the left palp, we have the extraor- 

 dinary fact of the palps being employed one hun- 

 dred and sixty times during this greatly protracted 

 process, unaccompanied by any contact whatever with the part where the 

 seminal ducts are considered to terminate. 4 



VI. 



Whether or not spiders may be propagated by agamic reproduction is 



an open question. I am at least satisfied that females will produce cocoons 



without previous pairing with the male. It is reasonably certain, 



mc also, that in some species a single act of fecundation suffices for 



d ti all the eggs laid for several years in succession, where life is 



continued that long. Audebert brought up and kept for some 



years many individuals of the domestic spider, probably Tegenaria domestica. 



1 " Ueber die Lebensweise der Arachniden," Neuste Schriftcn der Naturf. Gesellsch. Danzig, 

 Vol. IV., 1843. 



* " Beobaehtungen iiber die Lebensweise, Fortpflanzung und Entwicklung der Spinnen," 



r. Ferdinandcums, 1867. 

 3 " Ueber den Generationsapparat der Arachniden," Arch. Nat. Gesch., 1875, page 254. 



* Zoolog. Researches, page 315. 



Palps 



^ Sperraatozoa of Teg . 

 enaria. x 570. (After camp- 



