48 



PECKHAM. 



[Vol. 1, 



legs and falces are much longer, and on the side of the abdo- 

 men the general color is darker and the lateral bars of a much 

 more glistening white. All the colors are far more brilliant in 

 the male than in the female. (Plate II.) In courting the male lies 

 flat near the female, wriggling his abdomen and frequently turn- 

 ing from side to side. His first legs are held up over his head, 

 slightly diverging, and are often twisted and turned about. 

 (Fig. 20, see p. 47.) 



Two males that were displaying before one female, rushed 

 savagely upon each other and fought for twenty -two minutes,dur- 

 ing one round remaining clinched for six minutes. When 

 fighting, the abdomen is held nearly at a right angle with the 



cephalot horax. 

 (Fig. 21.) The 

 c o m b a tants ap- 

 peared tired at the 

 close of the battle, 

 but after a short 

 rest were perfectly 

 well and fought a 

 number of times 

 subsequently. 

 There are two 

 forms of male in 

 this species, one 

 being twice as 

 large as the other. 



HABKOCESTUM SPLENDENS. 



The colored plate gives a good idea of the sexual difference 

 in this species. The male, a magnificent fellow, when we first 

 caught him, displayed for a long time before the female. He 

 began by advancing a few inches toward her and then backing 

 off again, this being repeated many times. After a while he 

 settled down under a little web in the corner. The female, 

 troubled by this indifferent treatment, advanced toward him ; 

 he came out and she fell back. This play was kept up for 

 some time, but at length the male began his courting in earn- 



Fig. 21. — Zygoballus bettinl. Position o£ males 

 when fighting (from nature, by L. K.). 



