THE CARDINAL-SPIDER 



669 



and is studded with the bodies of the captured prey. Within tho web the female spider 

 places her cocoons, which are two or three in number, dish-shaped, and are fastened to the 

 stems of the plants upon which the 

 web is built. There are about thirty 

 eggs in each cocoon, and they may 

 mostly be found about June. 



The colour of the female is very 

 dark brown, upon which is described 

 a bold pattern of buff. The male is 

 smaller, darker, and the markings on 

 the body are of a duller hue. Fierce 

 as is this little creature in its own 

 way, it often falls a victim to the 

 voracious asilidse, or hornet-flies, 

 which completely reverse the usual 

 order of things, and instead of being 

 devoured by the spider act the part 

 of its destroyers. The soft skin of 

 this spider is easily pierced by the 

 jaw-lancets of the harvest-fly, and, 

 owing to this structure, the poor 

 little spider learns practically the 



discomfort of being eaten. 



A. Clubifrna nutrix. 



B. Ciniflo ferox. 



C. 'Ergatis benigna. 



D. 'Ergatis benigna. 



(Female. 

 (Male.) 



WE now come to some members 

 of another family. 



The pretty species of Agelena, which is shown in the next illustration at fig. C, is found 

 plentifully on heaths and commons, and derives its specific name from the complicated 

 nature of its web. This is a very large structure when compared with the dimensions of its 

 architect, and is spread almost horizontally over the tops of furze, heath, and the other 

 plants which are found on commons. It is a tolerably massive web, and well calculated 

 for catching prey. Unlike the garden-spider, which boldly sits in the middle of the web., 

 trusting to the delicate meshes escaping the eyes of flying insects, the Agelena does not 

 trust itself in sight, but sits in its dark cavern, which communicjrt.es with the web by means 

 of a silken tunnel. 



The female makes several dish-shaped cocoons, in which are contained a large, but 

 variable number of eggs. These cocoons are pure white, and are attached to the grasses, 

 heath, or other herbage of the locality. The eggs are spherical, of a pale yellow colour, 

 and rather large in proportion to the dimensions of the spider. As if in order to conceal 

 the cocoon, and deprive its exterior of the snowy whiteness which might attract the eye of 

 an enemy, the mother takes care to fix little bits of dead leaves, particles of earth, and 

 other substances, upon the outermost layers. 



This spider is prettily marked. The ground colour is deep chestnut-brown, upon 

 which is drawn a beries of buff markings, with their edges as well defined, and their 

 arrangement as carefully balanced, as if they were executed with a pencil. The male is 

 darker than the female, and the marks on the abdomen are of a lighter and brighter hue. 

 Its average length is half an inch. 



At figs. A and B are seen specimens of another genus, the two sexes being given. This 

 fine spider is mostly found in old houses, chiefly haunting the corners, and spinning a 

 thick horizontal sheet of web, and forming a rather stout silken tube as a communication 

 between the web and the den where the spider sits and watches for its prey. In the old 

 college buildings at Oxford, this species is very common ; and the well-known Cardinal- 

 spider, which is found at Hampton Court, and which frightens ignorant persons by its 

 large size, is probably a variety of this species. The web is always very completely 

 supported by guy ropes, which are laid with the greatest care, and disposed as artistically 

 as if arranged by a professional architect. 



