328 OBSERVATIONS ON THE 
abundantly supplied with nutriment. It continued 
in excellent health and condition apparently till the 
8th of July, 1845, when it died suddenly, having 
completed the third year of its existence. 
On the 27th of June, 1842, a young male Zege- 
naria civilis was disengaged from theegg. It quitted 
the cocoon on the 21st of the following month, and 
underwent its last moult on the 17th of October, 
1843. During the winter of 1844 it became 
greatly reduced in bulk, and died on the 30th of 
March, 1845. 
The egg of a Zegenaria civilis hatched on the 27th 
of June, 1842, produced a female spider, which 
completed its final change of integument on the 5th 
of August, 1843. It took its food well, and ap- 
peared to be in good health till the 6th of July, 1846, 
when it died, having attained to the age of four years 
and nine days. 
Allowing for the disadvantages to which spiders 
are subjected in a state of captivity, I think the 
duration of life in the species upon which the obser- 
vations were made should not be estimated at less 
than four years; and I have ascertained that the life 
of Segestria senoculata is protracted to an equally 
long period. Whether any spiders enjoy a more 
prolonged existence or not remains to be discovered ; 
but there can be no doubt that Dolomedes mirabilis, 
Clubiona erratica, Agelena labyrinthica, Epetra quad- 
rata, Tetragnatha extensa, Linyphia montana, The- 
