438 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



FIG. 367. Dorsal view of 

 Labyrinth spider in act of 

 death feigning. 



But it is needless to multiply examples; let us turn to the animals with 

 which we are here chiefly concerned. 



I have frequently watched spiders in this condition, to determine the 

 point in question, and their behavior always impressed me as being a 

 genuine feigning of death, and therefore was entirely 

 within their volition. The evidence is of such an 

 indefinite nature that one can hardly venture to 

 give it visible expression, but my conviction is none 

 the less decided. I may say, however, that my ob- 

 servations indicate that the spiders remained in this 

 condition as long as there seemed to be any threat- 

 ened danger; now and again the legs would be re- 

 laxed slightly, as though the creature were about 

 getting ready to resume its normal condition, but at the slightest alarm 

 withheld its purpose and relapsed into rigidity. The slight un- 

 Not Fear c i as pi n g o f the legs, the faint quivering indications of a purpose 

 araysis, ^ come to life, and then the instant suppression of the purpose 

 untary were so many evidences that the power of volition was retained, 

 and that the aranead might have at once recovered if it had 

 been disposed to do so. 



Again, I think that I have never noticed anything like that gradual 

 emergence from the kataplectic condition which one would naturally expect 

 if the act were not a voluntary one. On the contrary, the spider inva- 

 riably recovered, immediately sprang upon its legs, and hoisted itself to its 

 snare, or ran vigorously away among the grasses. 



Two positions of the Labyrinth spider while in the act of death feign- 

 ing are here presented, from a number of sketches made from Nature. 

 Fig. 367 represents her from a front view, leaning slightly upon one side. 

 The two fore legs on the further side are doubled under the face, and the 

 feet may be seen projecting on the opposite side; 

 that is, nearest the observer. The other pair of fore 

 legs are doubled under the side, the feet almost 

 touching the third and fourth legs, which are bent 

 in a position quite like that commonly assumed 

 when the spider is sitting at her natural rest. The 

 whole attitude appears to the familiar observer en- 

 tirely different from any posture during "death, and 

 this may perhaps be seen by comparing these draw- 

 ings with the death fashions shown in the first pages 

 of this chapter. 



The second position is shown at Fig. 368, giving 

 a view of the same spider from the lower part of her body while resting 

 upon her back. The fore legs are all bent and doubled over around the 

 mouth parts, the feet extending almost to the lower end of the sternum. 



FIG. 368. Ventral view of 

 Labyrinth spider while 

 death feigning. 



