The Structure and Habits of Spiders. 97 



and inserts the other palpus. 

 The female lies as though 

 dead. In NepJdla and Argi- 

 ope, where the male is very 

 small, he stands on the upper 

 edge of the web while the 

 female is in her usual po- 

 sition in the centre. After 

 feeling the web with his feet 

 for some time, he runs down 

 to the centre so lightly as not 

 to disturb the female, and 

 climbs about over her body 

 for some minutes, in an ap- 

 parently aimless way. She 

 takes no notice of him at 

 first ; but at length, especial- 

 ly if he approach the under 

 side of her abdomen, she 

 turns, and snaps at him with 

 her jaws. He is usually 

 nimble enough to dodge be- 

 tween her legs, and drop out 

 of the web, and, after a while, 

 climbs up to the top, and 



Fig. 53. 



