SS6 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



S. iimbrata the last joint of both palpi is distinctly pediform (fig. 

 34, 36) ; I have not been able to examine the palpi with any degree of 

 satisfaction in any specimen of S. fuscata, but according to Wes- 

 mael's figure^ the terminal segment should be simply conic. 



During the first week of our stay at Saranac Inn we scraped the surface 

 water supply trough in the hatchery, and in the scrapings found about 

 100 small fresh-water sponges. A few of the larvae of this species were 

 found on the sponges. Shortly the cocoons began to appear on the sides 

 of the supply trough, and in such numbers that it was evident that the 

 larvae were coming in from the pipes. The cocoons were located, some 

 inside the supply troughs on the smooth, tarred, vertical sides just above 

 the water, some on the upper edges, some on the sides and edges of the 



hatching troughs below, but 

 mostly on the outside of the 

 supply troughs and in the 

 angles which they make with 

 the hatching troughs, or in 

 the thread grooves at the base 

 of the faucets. Each larva 

 spins over itself, a hemispheric 

 cover of close woven silk (pi. 

 12, fig. 11), attached by its 

 edges to the supporting sur- 

 face, and a complete inner co- 

 coon of considerably smaller 

 size, likewise close woven. 



Larvae of this species taken 

 from unfinished cocoons and 

 placed in a vial spun new co- 

 coons in the corners of it 

 under observation. It was 

 interesting to watch them 

 weaving back and forth their 

 anal spinnerets, as the threads 

 were laid down. 



Two larvae of this species, taken just as they were leaving the water 

 Junej2i and placed in a vial plugged with cotton, spent at least 12 hours 

 in spinning their cover and cocoon, and remained inactive larvae 24 

 hours longer. Then they transformed to pupae, which remained suffi- 



Fig. 34 Maxillae: 



a of Climacia dictyona Ndm. 

 feofSisyra umbrata Ndm. 



1 Acad. Brux. Bui. 1840. v. 7, fig. 3 of plate. 



