MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. »27 



The female in the present instance was hanging vertically, head up- 

 wards in the remains of a web at a height of three feet. When I first saw 

 the group the male had evidently already charged his palps with the semi- 

 nal fluid, for I could not thereafter detect any movement or gesture that in 

 any way suggested the taking up of any substance. I am not. therefore, 

 able to throw any light on this operation about which too little is known. 



He was running excitedly over the back of his consort in a rather aimless 

 manner, so that it almost seemed that he imagined himself on the ventral 

 surface and had lost his bearings. However, he very soon slipped round 

 behind the fourth pair of legs and took up a position a little below the 

 genital aperture so that he could reach to it with his palps by flexing the 

 forelegs and straightening the hind ones. He then struck at the genital 

 aperture, by alternate, rapid pecks of the palps, much as the fingers strike 

 the keys of a typing machine. After a dozen strokes or so he drew himself 

 back by straightening the front limbs and flexing the hind ones, and paus- 

 ing for an instant, appeared to be replenishing the stock of semen at the 

 distal end of the palp (this renewal is, of course, mere suggestion as no 

 movement was seen that would prove it, but in any case the palps were held 

 up and were not applied to any part of the bodies of either of the pair 

 during the short interval). He then stretched forward towards the vulva 

 once more and recommenced the tap-tapping. These operations were 

 reiterated several times during a period of the three or four minutes. I 

 had then to move on but on repassing the spot about half an hour later, the 

 male was observed qtiietly squatting on the female's back. Throughout, the 

 female was absolutely quiescent and made no attempt at molesting her 

 spouse — a fact that does not agree with the popular idea that the female 

 invariably devours her mate if opportunity offers. 



This event took place on the 28th May, a very early date for these 

 spiders which usually appear after the monsoon has broken, at least in these 

 parts ; indeed, these were the first specimens I had seen since January. 



It would be interesting to ascertain where the eggs are laid and when 

 they hatch out. I have never seen egg-sacs in the webs, and I have never 

 come across immature specimens of this spider. I have noted males in the 

 webs from October to December and gravid females in November and 

 December. 



Where are the eggs deposited, when do they hatch out, where do the im- 

 mature individuals live, do the eggs only hatch out after the hot season ? 

 these are points for elucidation. 



The disparity in size between the males and females is further evidence 

 of Nature's economy where economy is desirable. It is the normal condi- 

 tion among lowly creatures for the females to be larger and more formid- 

 able than the males ; not only is this necessary for defence but also for the 

 provision of a large number of offspring. In such cases the femaleB are 



