126 PECKHAM. [Vol. 1, 



We oppose to this opinion of Mr. Cambridge, most of whose 

 work has been done in systematic arachnology, that of the Rev. 

 Henry McCook, who has devoted many years to a study of the 

 habits of spiders, and who must be considered an important 

 witness on a point to which he has given especial attention. 

 We ourselves had supposed that in the sedentary group the 

 male spiders were more active and vigorous than the females 

 until converted to the contrary opinion by his argument. He 

 says: 



" Blackwall and Mr. C. Spense Bate reported to Darwin 

 that the males of spiders are very active and more erratic in 

 their habits than those of females. This appears to be a gen- 

 eral opinion among arachnologists, upon what ground as to the 

 matter of activity I am not able to perceive. One, of course, 

 is compelled to ask what is meant by activity and inactivity as 

 applied to spiders. Certainly the words must be regarded as 

 relative terms. There is a sense in which the females of seden- 

 tary spiders are not as active as the females of the wandering- 

 groups. They may not, indeed, be able to make way over the 

 ground and among herbage with the same facilitj' that marks 

 the Saltigrades, Laterigrades, and Citigrades ; but the activity 

 in spinning work of the average female Orbweaver is simply 

 enormous. One who has watched the method by which the 

 great round webs of our common indigenous species are spun, 

 will certainly agree that the operator is one of the most active 

 of creatures in that department of work, at least. The rapidity 

 with which the threads are woven, the unceasing play of the 

 hind legs in pulling out the thread, and the striding of the 

 other limbs around the circle, together with the active exercise 

 of the remaining organs, are evidences of immense vigor and 

 activity. The fact that such a large and intricate web as Epeira 

 spins can be wrought out in the course of half an hour or forty 

 minutes, is proof enough of this activity. These snares will be 

 reproduced several times a day if necessarj', and the reproduc- 

 tion continues day after day throughout the life-time of the 

 aranead. 



" So also tlie same vitality of the female (_)rb\veaver appears 



