THE CARDINAL-SPIDER. 



669 



and is studded with the bodies of the captured prey. Within the 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 color 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 asilidae, 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. 



WE now come to some members 



A. ClubMna nittrix. C. 'Ergatis benigna. (Female.) 



B. Cinijloferox. D. 'Ergatis benigna. (Male.) 



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 com- 

 plicated 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 fly- 

 ing insects, the Agelena does not trust itself in sight, but sits in its dark cavern, which 

 communicates 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 color, 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 color is deep chestnut-brown, upon 

 which is drawn a series 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 spin- 

 ning a thick horizontal sheet of web, and forming a rather stout silken tube as a com- 

 munication 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. 



Like the preceding species, this spider makes several dish-shaped cocoons, surrounds 



