THE HABITS OF SPIDERS. 481 

















veral hundred young are produced by a single female, 
probably it is seldom that one-tenth of this number ever 
à adult size. Nearly all the spiders which we see in webs 
i females, or young. They spend most of their time in the 
vicinit ty of their webs, and many doubtless pass their lives 
within a few yards of the place of their birth. The adult males 
seldom seen building or occupying webs : they remain con- 
d during the day, and at night wander about from web 
to web, When young, there is no obvious difference between 
Sexes, but as the time for the last moult approaches, 
the ends of the palpi of the male swell to several times their. 
former size. When the time for the final moult arrives, both 
_ xes retire to their holes and cast off the skins of their entire 
bodies, even to the claws. This process obliges them to 
remain concealed until the new skin has seiad sufficient 
th and firmness, when they again return to their webs. 
' The females still resemble the young, except in size, but the 
Sare distinguished from them by the greater length of 
their limbs, the diminished size of the posterior half “of the 
body, and the large and complicated joints at the ends of the 
iL 11; fig. 8). The females of some species of spiders 
said to livont the males whenever opportunity offers, 
we have never noticed that habit in this species, though* 
ave often seen a female charge upon an intruding male, 
_ ind chase him from her web. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE XI. 
l. - Crear web; one-fourth the natural size 
ord vulgaris Hentz, natural size, one side; a, legs; b, pal- 
Ey ¢, jaws; e, spinners. 
; rót view of head, showing eyes and jaws; a tooth on the end 
Fig. ope of jaw; b, orifice for the discharge of pois 
~* Spinnerets spread apart for use, showing the lakes of tubes on 
e end of each, enlarged parse diameters. 
mic Spinning tube, still more enlarg 
a — @, the middle claw; b, b, the { on outer claws; ¢, toothed 
airs 
