THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 151 



Spiders which live and construct their webs amongst the bushes 

 and trees exhibit a remarkable instinct of mimicry in protecting 

 themselves and their eggs from their numerous enemies. They 

 seldom remain on their webs during the daytime, but conceal 

 themselves amongst the leaves and branches, where, with their 

 long anterior legs folded back and resting on their backs, or 

 stretched out in a single line in front, they imitate young buds, 

 knots, loose bark, &c., in such a way that one who is accustomed 

 to their ways is often deceived. 



On a leafless young fruit tree I observed, last autumn, the web 

 of an Epeira, which [ thought to be unusually well formed. I 

 immediately began a search for the architect. Failing to discover 

 it amongst the branches, I sought out the single thread which 

 usually leads from the web to the spider's retreat. I followed 

 this line about halfway down the trunk, when it ended abruptly 

 at a depression caused by the cutting off of a small branch. 

 But, still I failed to discover the spider. At the bottom of the 

 depression lay what appeared to me a bit of loose bark, and it 

 occurred to me that the spider may have crept under it. To my 

 surprise, when I attempted to lift the bark it proved to be the 

 object of my search. 



This instinct is not perfect in every species. Last summer I 

 watched a mason-wasp fill her cell with spiders, and so soon as 

 she flew off each time I removed the spider and examined it. 

 In less than an hour she brought eight spiders, all of which were 

 of the same species — a species of Epeira. As it appeared to me 

 rather strange that she should show such a preference for this 

 particular species, I set myself to discover the reason. With 

 this object in view I visited a paddock in which were growing a 

 number of short bushes. I was not long in finding a good 

 number of webs of different species ; and amongst them several 

 of this particular one. The spiders were resting among the 

 leaves close to the web ; but, as they made no attempt at 

 mimicry, they are soon discovered, and, doubtless, fell easy 

 victims to the keen-eyed wasp. I conclude, therefore, that the 

 reason why so many of this species were brought was because 

 they are more easily discovered. 



In weaving sacs for the protection of their eggs still more skill 

 is exhibited in imitating the surrounding objects. In this way 

 they mimic moss, seeds, seed-pods, dried leaves, buds, flowers, 

 knots, galls, &c. The egg-sacs of spiders which live in dark 

 places during the day, or which construct dwellings amongst the 

 trees, bushes and grass, are concealed, and, consequently, are 

 in nearly all cases white. The number of eggs varies from lo to 

 500 at a laying, according to the species. When the young 

 spiders are ready to emerge from the egg-sac the parent weaves a 

 network of very fine threads around it, and then makes a small 



