WATER SPIDERS AND MITES 61 



In appearance Dolomedes differs from Lucus piratiea, firstly 

 in size, the female being three-quarters of an inch long, and 

 secondly as to its general appearance. For Dolomedes is a 

 brown hairy spider with noticeable yellow markings, which 

 readily indicate its genus. 



The females of both the above genera weave egg bags, which 

 are fastened and carried on the under side of their abdomen. 



In the case of Dolomedes fimbriatus the egg cocoon is 

 large, brown and round in shape, whilst the cocoon of Lycosa 

 piratica is much smaller and white in colour. 



Warburton, in his excellent little handbook on spiders, 

 mentions several interesting experiments on wolf-spiders and 

 their egg cocoons. From some of the results Mr. Warburton 

 seems to think that spiders are unable to reason. To my 

 mind the experiments do not show this. 



I consider that under ordinary normal conditions a spider 

 is able to reason, but is naturally at a loss to understand 

 complicated arrangements entirely out of its sphere of life. 



But to return. The female of the Lycosidae, of which the 

 Lycosa and Dolomedes\ are two genera, carry their egg bags 

 beneath their bodies. When the eggs hatch the youngsters 

 immediately climb on to their mother's back, where they 

 remain until old enough to start life on their own. 



Seemingly aware of the fact that an accident to the " bus " 

 would mean a misfortune to themselves, the young spiders are 

 most careful not to cover their mother's eyes, even when 

 resting on her head. 



But the life of the passengers is far from being dull and 

 uninteresting ; sometimes thick grass dislodges them, or the 

 mother may meet another of her own sex engaged similarly in 

 carrying her family. The result of the meeting, friendly as 

 it well might be, considering that both are occupied in the 

 same manner, is seldom so. They have no wish to compare 

 notes on their family histories. But, on the contrary, no 

 time seems to be wasted in idle compliments, but hardly 

 having met, a fierce conflict takes place. 



The youngsters are dispersed as their respective mothers 

 fight furiously with only one object, and that to kill. And 

 when the battle is over the offspring of the slain and those of 

 the victor re-assemble, and climb up the legs of the survivor, 

 who meanders off little aware that her family has increased to 

 such an extent. 



The Lycosidae, as the reader will no doubt notice when 

 attempting to capture a specimen, are strong and fast runners, 

 and the weight of a family, whether in the form of eggs or of 



