COLOR AND THE COLOR SENSE. 341 



A fly which had been put into a box with Epeira strix tempted her 

 in vain to make a breakfast upon it. Three times it flew into or against 

 the spider's jaws and escaped. Twice it crept between the front pair of 

 legs; once it lit upon and crept up the hindermost legs; and all the time 

 was walking everywhere around her, utterly unconscious of the presence 

 of an enemy. The spider remained motionless, except when the fly flew 

 into her face, when she made an effort to seize it. At the time she was 

 seated upon the bottom of the box, separate from any snare or web, and 

 thus without ordinary means by which the presence and locality of in- 

 sects are determined. We may suppose that the spider was confused by 

 the unusual circumstance of separation from her web, and her vision 

 momentarily impaired ; but the fly, at least, was in normal condition, 

 hunting food and otherwise acting in a natural way. 



In numerous other cases when flies have been placed within boxes 

 where spiders have been confined, I do not remember a single individual 

 that showed the slightest sense of fear, but on the contrary they would 

 run all around, and even settle upon the spider, apparently no more con- 

 scious of its presence or of any peril therefrom, than if it had been a 

 clod or chip. The same is true of grasshoppers, hundreds of which have 

 been fed to the large tarantulas that from time to time, during a number 

 of years, I have kept in confinement. Of such insects, at least, it would 

 be highly absurd to argue anything of service in the way of " warning 

 coloration." Bright or dull, large or small, they seem to be absolutely 

 without consciousness of the presence, or fear of the power, of spiders. 



In taking a summary view of the facts above recorded it may be said, 



in general terms, that the influences which appear to modify the color of 



spiders, in various degrees more or less known, are the follow- 



/"** 1 



enera -^ . Moulting changes; the effects of advancing age and ap- 

 proaching dissolution ; the disturbance of gestation ; the distri- 

 bution of pigment and color hairs by muscular action ; the effects of 

 food, environment, and general habit; sexual differences and the excite- 

 ments of courtship and mating; and, possibly, inimical influences, such 

 as natural enemies and weather changes. 



VI. 



How far are spiders conscious of the color elements in their surround- 

 ings ? They are found among leaves, flowers, and blossoms of all the 

 varied kinds and colors in the vegetable kingdom. Sedentary 

 Conscious- S pj^ erg nan g their webs to the' branches and leaves of trees, 

 and weave them amidst flowers, often selecting for them sites 

 which strike the observer as choice and notable for beauty. 

 One may find, for example, the pretty web of Linyphia communis hung 

 within an opening upon a morning-glory vine, the bright colored flowers 



