476 SUPPLEMENT 



seed. They are covered with a loose wad, and the animal 

 often cements over its cocoon a tolerable quantity of detritus 

 of various kinds. The young are excluded towards the end 

 of spring or the beginning of summer. Arrived to a consider- 

 able degree of their growth, when the cold weather comes on, 

 they support its rigours, by remaining concealed under the 

 old barks of trees, and stakes. 



The Epe'ra apolisca, is found in woods, near ponds, and 

 in humid places. Its nest is composed of a very close silky 

 matter, which Lister compares to the substance yielded by 

 prepared flax. There is but one little aperture placed under- 

 neath, which the animal closes with its feet, when one 

 attempts to seize it. On the approach of winter, it consoli- 

 dates this habitation with grains, or pieces of vegetables, 

 which it attaches there. It remains there entirely closed up, 

 not to come forth until the return of fine weather. But it 

 appears, however, that, according to Lister, this epei'ra some- 

 times selects for itself, for hybernation, a locale of a different 

 kind, and one more sheltered. It proportions the extent of its 

 w'eb tc that of the soil, so that the number of concentric 

 circles of its net-work varies from fifteen to eight and thirty. 

 The same naturalist has seen males confine themselves to 

 spreading simple threads, and without much order, upon the 

 summits of gramineous plants. He has ascertained that the 

 same female, in the space of about two months, laid in suc- 

 cession, three broods of eggs, which were indicated by so 

 many cocoons, and even four in a little longer time. The 

 first took place towards the end of May. He amused himself 

 for nearly a month and a half, in undoing every day the web of 

 an individual of this sex, w^hich he had transported from the 

 country into his garden, and which had established its nest 

 between the green leaves of tlie rose-tree. The animal was 

 never tired in reconstructing its work, and never abandoned 

 the cradle of its offspring. It appears, that under such cir- 



