1242 The Zoologist— June, 1868. 



I have observed that the sexual disproportion in Epeira diadema is 

 not so great as in E. nigra, Vins. : we may account for this by the fact 

 of the male of the former having a formidable armature of spines on its 

 fore legs, with which it has been seen to repel the attacks of the 

 female ; but the male of E. nigra seems to be utterly defenceless, and 

 to have nothing but its own agility to depend upon for escape. 



Some species of other families of spiders also present a very striking 

 disproportion in the relative size of the sexes, but their habits being 

 unknown to me it is impossible to say whether or no it may be 

 accounted for in a similar manner. 



With regard to the general question of the numerical proportion of 

 the sexes in spiders, the case seems to be about parallel with the same 

 question as to insects : in some species there seems to be about an 

 equal proportion ; in some the males, in others females, preponderate, 

 but until spiders are collected and studied more, by arachnologists, it 

 is impossible to say how far the apparent disproportion is due to mere 

 want of search and ignorance of forms and habits. 



No doubt there is in every species of spider and insect an absolute 



natural numerical proportion between the sexes, and this proportion, 



if we could arrive at it, would perhaps form a good specific character; 



but it will be long before the state of entomological science will 



permit of any certain conclusions on the point. In other branches of 



Natural History, where the facts occur more under our eyes, a natural 



and peculiar proportion of sexes seems certainly to exist. I have 



observed this in respect to pheasants reared from eggs laid in the 



woods, but taken and placed under the common hen ; the proportion 



of males here is invariably larger than that of females: it varies in 



different seasons, but on an average my own observations lead me to 



state it as three-fifths of the former to two-fifths of the latter. 



O. P.-Cambridge. 

 Bloxworth, Dorset, May 4, 1868. 



A large Sturgeon. — While a fisherman, named Henry Mellish, was engaged 

 fishing in Limchouse Reach, in the Medwajyat Rochester, on the 17th of April, he 

 succeeded in capturing a very large sturgeon. On being landed it was found to 

 measure seven feet six inches in length, and to weigh 130 lbs. Under the ancient 

 charters of the city of Rochester sturgeons and other " royal" fish beloug to ihe Mayor, 

 to whom it was immediately presented, and by whom it was in turn sent to Windsor 

 Castle by the principal water-bailiff, as a present to her Majesty. This fish is 

 believed to be the largest sturgeon ever caught in an English river. — Newspaper 

 paragraph. 



