422 Dr. Heineken on the Reproduction of 



Art. LIII. Observations on the Reproduction of the Mem- 

 bers in Spiders and hisects. By Charles Heinbkkn, 

 M.D. 



(Continued from page 294.) 



As a favorable opportunity offers, I avail myself of it for continuing 

 the subject of my former communication, although I am yet ignorant 

 whether it has been published or not. 



After many experiments, which it would be a mere waste of time to 

 enumerate, I am unable to establish the fact that young spiders part vvdth 

 their limbs more readily than adults ; generally speaking they do, but 

 not so universally as to make it a law of their economy. Hunters, un- 

 der all circumstances, but especially when the limbs have been crushed, 

 throw them off with greater alacrity than web-makers. The following 

 experiments will,I think, satisfactorily prove that they, (spiders generally), 

 exercise the privilege of choice, as to retaining or detaching an injured 

 member, and that in the instances of crushing it is influenced (as before 

 suggested) by the extent of the injury and the process of reparation 

 which would be required. 



1. 

 July 31. Epeira fasciata. — Tibia crushed with a pair of forceps. 

 Aug. 1. Swollen and stiff, and the limb useless. 



2. Throvm off at the suture. 



2. 

 July 30. Ep. fasciata. Tibia crushed. 



31. Looks plump and uninjured. — Crushed again. 



Aug. 1. Swollen and corrugated. 



3. Ditto. 



4. Has disappeared. 



o 

 o. 



July 30. Ep. fasciata. — Tibia crushed. 



— 31. The injured limb cannot be distinguished from the other. — 



The tarsus and tibia (different legs) crushed. 

 Aug. 3. The hmb of which the tibia was crushed on the 31st, has 



