GENERAL COCOONING HABITS OP SPIDERS. 



119 



Theridium zelotypum makes a flattened cocoon of soft silk, which she 



establishes within her pretty nest, that has heretofore been described (Vol. 



I., page 317) as a silken, bell shaped tent thatched with the leaves 



of spruce, balsam, hemlock, or other plant on which it is built. 



typum Within this the y un g are hatched, and here for a while after 



their exode mother and young may be found dwelling together. 



A like habit is possessed by the English nest making spider, Theridium 

 riparium, whose most remarkable nesting architecture is described Vol. I., 

 page 318. The mother makes several yellowish white, round cocoons 

 about one-eighth inch in diameter. 1 



Theridium sisyphum also shelters her reddish brown cocoons in a silken 

 tent which hangs in her snare, and is sometimes strengthened by the intro- 

 duction of dried leaves and other extraneous matter. 2 



Another English spider, Theridium nervosum, also 3 forms a silk lined 

 nesting tent, thatched with bits of dead leaves, flowers, or other particles, 

 including the debris of slaughtered insects. Within this tent the mother 

 spins a little round green cocoon, containing yellowish white eggs. The 

 cocoon is one-eighth inch long, the spider herself being one-sixth inch. 

 The mother is usually to be found in an inverted position, embracing her 

 treasure and covering it with her body. 



It is probable that all the nest weaving species of Retitelarise place their 

 cocoons within their nests, in which habit they substantially agree with 

 their congeners, who suspend their cocoons upon the thickened cross lines 

 which form the resident part of their snares. 



I have never been able to determine satisfactorily from observation the 

 cocoons of our common species of Linyphia, but the Linyphia montana of 

 Europe makes a flattened white cocoon, which it usually conceals 

 underneath a stone, remaining with it and guarding it with the 

 greatest care. 4 



Linyphia inarginata, one of our most common American spiders, is also 

 a European species. 5 It pairs in May, and in June the female spins one 

 or two lenticular cocoons of white silk of a loose texture, which are at- 

 tached to withered leaves or other objects situated near the snare. The 

 larger of these cocoons measures half an inch in diameter and contains 

 about one hundred and forty spherical eggs of a palish yellow color, not 

 agglutinated. 6 



The English Linyphia crypticolens is remarkable for the habit of car- 

 rying her cocoon fastened by threads to her spinnerets. It is globular and 

 of a diameter equal to the whole length of the mother, is formed in June 



Linyphia. 



1 Stavrlry, ISritish Spiders, page 152. 



4 Stuveley, " British Spiders," page 165. 



5 Equal to L. montana Sund., L. reeupina Walck. 



6 Blackball, Spiders Gt. B. & I., page 215. 



2 Idem, page 143. * See Vol. L, page 317. 



