COMPARATIVE COCOONINO INDUSTRIES. 171 



terial, such as insect debris, plant chippage, sawdust, sand, and mud. 

 Among Orbweavers that practice this method of armoring their cocoons 

 are Epeira cinerea and Cyclosa caudata. I know no American 

 r ~ representative among Lineweavers, but there are no doubt such, 

 as some English species have the habit. Among Tubeweav- 

 ers the habit is most common. The cocoons of Agalena are frequently 

 found upholstered with sawdust and scrapings from bark, or bits of chip- 

 page plucked from surrounding vegetation. Clubonia frequently plasters 

 over with mud her beautiful white cocoon. Micaria limicunac completely 

 encloses her little egg sac within a thick ball of mud. Others of this 

 family make a spherical ball, composed of miscellaneous debris, within 

 the heart of which the cocoon is protected. The habit appears to have 

 secured no lodging among the Citigrades and Saltigrades, but is practiced 

 to a limited extent by some Laterigrades. 



A fifth mode of protection is suspension within the snare. Some Orb- 

 weavers have this habit, as the Labyrinth spider, the Tailed spider, ami 

 others. Many Lineweavers in the genera Theridium, Argyrodes, 

 5. Sue- e ^ c ^ thus protect their cocoons. Indeed, it is the well nigh uni- 

 >ensic versa l method in this tribe. Among Tubeweavers the custom 

 prevails, that is, if we consider the tubular dwelling cell as a 

 portion of the snare. The same remark applies to the Territelarise, as 

 Atypus, Cteniza, and the large Mygalidse, who protect their cocoons within 

 their tubular dens, as do the Saltigrades also. The Citigrades and Lateri- 

 grades, of course, have no such habit, as they are not snare making tribes, 

 although they make a cell or den to contain and shelter their cocoons. 



The sixth method of protecting the cocoons is by sentry, that is to say, 

 by watching on or near the cocoon an action to which the term " brood- 

 ing" has sometimes been applied. Of this method, the Orb- 

 g' . weavers have representatives among the genus Epeira, as, for 



example, our American Epeira cinerea and several European 

 species, to which may probably be added Cyclosa and Uloborus and others 

 of like habit. Nearly all Lineweavers may be considered as practicing 

 this method. At all events, their cocoons are swung within their snares 

 and the mothers are frequently found embracing them and vigorously re- 

 sist any effort to deprive them of the treasure. Among Tubeweavers, 

 many genera keep faithful watch on their cocoons, as Agalena, Herpyllus, 

 and many of the Drassids. The Tunnelweavers, who retain their cocoons 

 within their burrows, may be regarded as keeping sentry upon them, and 

 the habit is quite general among Saltigrades and Laterigrades. 



The seventh mode of protection is by portage, that is, by carrying the 

 cocoons within the jaws or attached to the spinnerets. I know no rep- 

 resentative of this habit among Orbweavers. Among Lineweavers the 

 habit is universal with Pholcus, who carries her cocoon beneath her jaws. 

 At least one European species of Linyphia and one of Theridium have 



