3766 Arachnida. — Insects. 



Abstinence of a Spider. — In the ' St. James's Chronicle ' of October 26, I see an 

 account, copied from the ' Banffshire Journal,' of a spider having lived for a year 

 without food ; and it is curious enough that I have recorded a very similar circum- 

 stance which happened under my own personal observation, the only difference being 

 that my spider is now dead. " Some time during the winter of 1850-51, 1 had a case 

 (containing a stuffed water-rail) sent home from the bird-stuffer's, glazed, papered, and 

 all complete : the case is about 10 inches by 8, and 5 inches deep. Shortly after it 

 arrived, I observed a very small spider traversing backwards and forwards on its web, 

 which it had spun from side to side of the case underneath the bird. All I did was 

 mentally to abuse the bird-stuffer for his carelessness in omitting to put camphor in 

 the case before glazing it ; and also I resolved to take out the glass and eject the spi- 

 der. However, in a multiplicity of occupations, I soon forgot all about the matter, 

 until the autumn of 1851, when my attention was drawn to it by seeing the bird com- 

 pletely surrounded underneath by a strong web, and stationed in the midst of it, a spi- 

 der of at least ten times the bulk of the small one I had seen there the previous winter, 

 and looking fat and well, though with no signs of any other living creature in the case, 

 nor any appearance of anything having been entangled in the web. From this time, 

 feeling curious as to how the spider could live, thrive, and grow under such circum- 

 stances, I watched it from time to time, but never from that day until it died, about 

 four months ago (some time at the end of last June), could I discover any trace of its 

 having obtained anything to eat. It continued to increase in size up to about six 

 months before its death; after which time, although looking perfectly plump and 

 healthy, it became stationary in one particular part of the web, in which position it 

 died and still remains hung up, though now considerably shrivelled. I am not aware 

 of the species, but in colour it was nearly black." The case, as far as I can see, is 

 perfectly air-tight, there not being the slightest aperture visible. From the time when 

 I first saw the spider until it died, was a space of eighteen months. The above note 

 may possibly be of interest to some of your readers, and worth recording as a tittle of 

 evidence towards a more complete knowledge of the habits, ability of endurance with- 

 out food, or organization, whereby some creatures can exist and even thrive without 

 material sustenance : should this be the case, I shall consider myself most fortunate 

 in having been able to add that tittle to the great mass of curious and useful informa- 

 tion contained in the pages of the ' Zoologist.' — Octavius Pickard- Cambridge ; Blox- 

 worth House, near Blandford, Dorset, November 8, 1852. 



On "Robber Bees" as described by O. Pickard- Cambridge, Esq. 

 By H. W. Newman, Esq. 



I have attentively read the account by Mr. Cambridge, of the rob- 

 bers which attacked his hives on the 15th of September last (ZooL 

 3746), and as I have had a good deal of experience in the same way, 

 T am of opinion that no one could have acted with more promptitude 

 and decision on that occasion. As Mr. C. wishes to have opinions 



