279 Hentz's Descriptions of the 
Marr. Slender, same colors and markings except the legs, 
which are usually rufous, longer, and have their respective 
length, thus, 1. 2. 4. 3. 
Observations. This constant and common inhabitant of 
any dwelling where the broom is not much in use, is very 
readily recognized notwithstanding the variations of its colors. 
There is, probably, no spider so abundant in the United States, 
or so well known to the observer of nature. It makes an 
irregular web in somewhat retired corners, and usually in dark 
situations, but occasionally also in the open air. The thread 
of this web is not very strong, but, by its skill and its activity, 
the spider makes up for the deficiency. The moment it feels 
by the vibrations that an insect is caught, it proceeds to the 
spot with caution, if the prisoner is a large one, and with its 
posterior legs it throws additional threads, with which it binds 
the victim with surprising rapidity. As soon as the insect is 
securely bound, it grasps the end of one of its legs with 
the fangs of its cheliceres, with which it inflicts a wound 
which stupefies it in a few seconds. If the prey be not too 
heavy, it lifts it up to the upper part of its web, where it 
abides; but when the insect is a very large one, it con- 
tinually throws more threads around it, and from time to 
time ascends to the top with additional ligatures which it 
firmly fixes to the main threads, and which it pulls as tight as 
possible. These, by their elasticity, gradually tend to lift up 
the insect, which by its struggles catches and entangles the 
threads around its limbs, and in course of time it is hoisted to 
the top, though the process sometimes continues two an 
even three days. I have seen an Artvcnuus (Coprobius) 
volvens thus lifted up by a little Theridion vulgare. In 
this case the captured victim probably weighed eighty or a 
hundred times as much as its destroyer. I have also seen 
large silk-worms hung up by spiders of this species. In that 
case the weight raised was still greater. Its cocoon is placed 
also at the top of the web. It is of a brownish color, and 
made of somewhat loose threads. The eggs are not glued 
