Habits of some Madeiran Spiders. 273 



on the 25tli of that month, and again on the 30th of July, at 

 Avhich latter date it became adult. 



It may here be seen that sixty-two days elapsed between 

 the time of capture and the ensuing change ; and how many 

 days should be added to this, for the entire number between the 

 two consecutive changes, it is impossible to determine. Only 

 forty-seven days elapsed before another change took place, and 

 ninety-six before the last one occurred. Now, during the time 

 of the short interval (forty-seven days), the spider had less to 

 eat than at any other period whilst in my possession (for it 

 was shut up in a box in the hold of the ship during the voyage) ; 

 and this diminution of food ought to have prolonged, I think, 

 instead of shortening the time ; and as all other circumstances 

 during its captivity remained much about the same, the only 

 way in which I can account for the shorter period, is from 

 fright occasioned by the sea voyages, the transhipment at 

 Lisbon, and the vibration on the railway and cab journeys. 

 After it became adult, nothing particular occurred for a year 

 and seven days, or till the 6th of August, 1871, when the 

 spider made a cocoon, scantily supplied with yellow eggs, 

 agglutinated together. This cocoon it attached to its abdomen, 

 which it kept constantly elevated from the ground. It like- 

 wise encircled the cocoon Avith its fourth pair of legs, thus ten- 

 derly preventing its coming into contact with any thing. As 

 this female had been in solitary confinement ever since it was 

 half-grown, the eggs were not fecundated, I imagine. 



. On the 28th of September the creature dropped the cocoon 

 from the abdomen ; and this Avas just about the time that the 

 young ones should have made their appearance, if the eggs had 

 been good. 



On the 1 5th of October I landed the spider again in Madeira ; 

 but, unfortunately, forgetting the mischief that ants are always 

 ready to do there, I made no provision for protecting the crea- 

 ture from them, and the next morning I found that they had 

 killed the spider and were busy in walking off with the eggs. 



Lycosa ingens (Blackw.). 



Having procured from the Deserta Grande some fine spe- 

 cimens of this large and handsome spider, in the early part of 

 this year, and having provided suitable cages, with glass lids, 

 for them, I was anxiovis to ascertain how large an animal the 

 largest spider would take ; and for this purpose I obtained 

 some lizards about 3 inches long, including the tail. Three 

 of these lizards were killed and devoured by one spider during 

 the time I kept it. 



