PAIEIN& OF TEGENABIA GUTONIT. 168 



der Arachniden," Neueste Schriften dernaturf. G-esellscli. Danzig, 

 vol. iv. 1843); and he describes the deposition of semen and its 

 collection in the cases of Agelena lahyrinthica, Clerck, and Liny- 

 phia triangularis (? L. scalarifera, Menge, or L. emphana^ sick.*). 

 A. Ansserer (" Beobachtungen iiber die Lebensweise, Eortplanz- 

 ung und Entwicklung der Spinnen," Zeitschr. Eerdinandeums, 

 1867) gives corresponding details as to LinypJiia triangularis, 

 Clerck, and Dictyna henigna, Walck. M'Cook (" Pairing of 

 Spiders, LinypJiia marginata,'''' Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 

 1879) appears to have seen the same process in L. marginata ; 

 and Blackwell briefly notes the alternate application of the palpal 

 organs of Agalena Idbyrintliica to a " milk-white fluid " which 

 was speedily imbibed. Bertkau (" Ueber den Grenerationsap- 

 parat der Araneiden," Arch. Nat. Gesch. 1875, p. 254) has related 

 his observations on Pliiloica domestica and LinypTiia montana. I 

 am not aware of any other account of this primary sexual act, 

 which, in consequence of its short duration, can only be witnessed 

 through good fortune or the most constant attention. 



The varied forms of the palpi of male spiders, and their length 

 relatively to their distance from the opening of the abdominal 

 sexual organ, suggest the great probability of more or less dif- 

 ference in the process according to the species. The character 

 of the palpi must also govern the mode of actual union, which 

 in the case of Tegenaria Guyonii has also not hitherto been 

 described. 



The Deposition of SejJieii. — A male T. Guyonii which had 

 been imprisoned a month cast its skin on the 28tb o£ July and 

 gained maturity. I did not observe it make any movement until 

 the 5tlL of August ; and three blowflies which had been given it 

 remained untouched. On that day I placed the bottle which 

 contained it uncovered inside another in which was a female. 

 She had been mature a fortnight. The male soon became con- 

 scious of her presence, and approached her. Wishing to see if 

 his attention could be diverted by food after his long abstinence, 

 and fearing he might attack the female, I dropped close to him a 

 daddy-long-legs, which he quickly seized. The following morn- 

 ing he was standing with the first pair of legs over the female 

 and his maxillae resting on her abdomen, while she was crouching 

 motionless with her head in an opposite direction. Both were 



* See Thorell's ' Kemarks on Synonyms of European Spiders,' p. 48. 



