Miscellaneous. 231 
bright red streaks; the abdomen marked above with red bell- 
shaped and angular patterns, and beneath with red streaks ; the 
sternum red, the legs yellow with réd rings at the joints. The 
species was named Pucetia aurora, because of the bright red streaks 
upon the yellow background, suggesting “the daughter of the 
dawn.” 
According to some field-notes forwarded by Mr. Wright since 
the above was in print, Pucetia aurora is rather abundant in a 
limited locality. The nests are uniformly upon bushes of Hrio- 
gonum corymbosum, and several specimens of them were sent. The 
nest is hung from three to four feet from the ground, and, being 
upon the topmost twigs, is easily seen from a distance. The cocoon 
is a straw-coloured sphere or ovoid, five-eighths of an inch in diameter. 
It is covered externally with various pointed rugosities, from which 
numerous lines extend to the adjoining foliage, and into the maze of 
right lines which extends below the corymb of the plant upon which 
all the specimens sent are attached. ‘This retitelarian snare doubt- 
less serves as a temporary home for the young spiders. The cocoon 
has no suture, the spiderlings escaping by cutting the case, which is 
thick and closely woven. No floss padding was found inside of the 
case. 
Upon approaching the nest, the mother is usually seen hovering 
over the young spiders, or guarding a new sack of eggs. She lays 
two and sometimes three broods on one twig. Sometimes the young 
ones will be still in the old nest, while the mother is guarding a 
new bundle of eggs immediately adjoining the old one. In no case 
were any young ones seen on the mother’s back. The mother stays 
close by her nest. If the spiderlings be hatched, she will, perhaps, 
drop down a foot or so, if a first effort to capture her be not successful ; 
but will not drop to the ground, unless forced todo so. If guarding 
her eggs, she must be forcibly separated from the cocoon. The 
young ones take alarm sooner than their mother; they drop down 
a few inches—or, at times, two feet—every one on its tiny thread, 
forming a pretty, swaying fringe. In a few moments, if all is still, 
they climb up again; but if frightened, will drop to the ground 
and run. The little ones in such case do not jump. 
It is a further interesting fact in so-called “ mimicry” that of 
several examples of P. aurora seen by Mr. Wright, one found on 
a green bush was in colour almost wholly green, with scarcely a 
trace of red; while two found on a hoary-white bush had simulated 
the white colour of their habitat. The specimens, as described 
above by Dr. McCook, approach in coloration the prevailing hue 
of the Hriogonum on which they were nested, and he was inclined to 
think that this is the normal colour of the adult, which is taken on as 
the animal matures; indeed, as the green and whitish specimens 
were not sent to him, he would be inclined to think (awaiting further 
evidence) that those colours may have been due to immature age. 
At least the tendency to such colours is strong in young spiders. 
However, the fact of mimicry is not improbable, as Dr. McCook 
had observed it in our native Laterigrades. 
From the same gentleman and locality, Dr. McCook had received 
