GENERAL COCOONING HABITS OF SPIDERS. 



155 



Their 

 Abode. 



from Mr. Clarence P. Franklin, of Philadelphia, who made an explora- 

 tion of that cavern in order to collect the fauna living therein. Among 

 the specimens collected and submitted to me are two which 

 Luray appear also to be Linyphia weyeri, and are probably identical 



with the Linyphia found by Professor Packard in the caves of 

 Spiders. 



Kentucky, Indiana, and Virginia, and which have been de- 

 scribed by Mr. Emerton. 



These spiders were found in a chamber separate entirely from that 

 part of the cavern which is now illuminated by electric lights, and which 

 is entered by a narrow opening. The location is about half a 

 mile from the main entrance of the cave, and is in total dark- 

 ness. The araneads were found upon the banks of a pool, and 

 were seen crawling about in the light of the torches in the guide's hand. 

 No webs were seen in this spot, though doubtless such must exist. 



In another inner chamber, about one-fourth of a mile distant from 

 the entrance, Mr. Franklin found numbers of webs and at least one co- 

 coon. This spot is also in total darkness, 

 is beyond the influence of the 



Cave electric lights, and in a com- 

 Websand ,. -. -, ,-, 



c paratively dry part of the cav- 



ern, among older formations of 

 stalactite and stalagmite. Upon one sta- 

 lagmite about ten feet high and two feet 

 to two and a half wide at the base, he 

 found at least fifty webs hanging in vari- 

 ous parts of the structure. This stalag- 

 mite was roughly fluted from the base to 

 the apex, the fluting being from one and 

 a half to three inches in width. Within the interspaces thus formed 

 were stretched these webs, which appeared to be all of one character, as 

 represented at Fig. 191. This figure was not drawn upon the spot, but 

 is a memory sketch made from notes and recollection of the observation. 

 The web appears to be composed of simple lines stretched across the space 

 and placed between the walls of the fluting, and one above another, so 

 thickly that they touch and form an open hammock or sheet. This when 

 seen was depressed in the centre, and formed a shallow pocket or pouch. 

 In the midst of the intersecting threads, and at one side of the snare, 

 was hung a small cocoon. It is about one-eighth inch in diameter, is 

 composed of fine flossy silk, and contained a small number of eggs. 



I conjecture that the original web consisted of retitelarian lines strung 

 across the flutings, and that these, by reason of use and age, had relaxed 

 and merged one with another, forming the rude sheet like snare described 

 by Mr. Franklin. This characteristic may often be seen in Theridioid 

 snares. Indeed, as I have heretofore shown (see Figs. 211 and 212, and 



FIG. 191. Snare and cocoon of Linyphia 

 weyeri (?) in Luray Cavern. 



