AERONAUT SPIDERS. 205 



coloiu', were attaclied to the webs. There must 

 have been, I should suppose, some thousands on the 

 ship. The httle spider, when first coming in con- 

 tact with the rigging, was always seated on a sin- 

 gle thread, and not on the flocculent mass. This 

 latter seems merely to be produced by the entan- 

 glement of the single threads. The spiders were 

 all of one species, but of both sexes, together with 

 young ones. These latter were distinguished by 

 their smaller size and more dusky colour. I will 

 not give the description of this spider, but merely 

 state that it does not appear to me to be included 

 in any of Latreille's genera. The little aeronaut, 

 as soon as it arrived on board, was very active, run- 

 ning about, sometimes letting itself fall, and then 

 reascending the same thread ; sometimes employ- 

 ing itself in making a small and very iiTegular 

 mesh in the corners between the ropes. It could 

 run with facility on the surface of water. When 

 disturbed, it lifted up its front legs in the attitude 

 of attention. On its first arrival it appeared very 

 thirsty, and with exserted maxillae drank eagerly 

 of drops of water; this same circumstance has been 

 observed by Strack : may it not be in consequence 

 of the little insect having passed throvigh a dry and 

 rarefied atmosphere ] Its stock of web seemed in- 

 exhaustible. While watching some that were sus- 

 pended by a single thread, I several times obsei-v- 

 ed that the slightest breath of air bore them away 

 out of sight, in a horizontal line. On another oc- 

 casion (25th), under similar circumstances, I repeat- 

 edly observed the same kind of small spider, either 

 when placed or having crawled on some little em- 

 inence, elevate its abdomen, send forth a thread, 

 and then sail away horizontally, but with a rapid- 

 ity which was quite unaccountable. I thought I 

 could perceive that the spider, before performing 



