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Pholcus pftalangioides, like some other widely separated spiders, 

 overpowors its prey by spinning lines round it, turning it round 

 and round rapidly with the legs until it is completely enveloped, 

 and then carrying it off into the recesses of its snare. The follow- 

 ing detail of an operation of this kind, which I had lately an 

 opportunity of witnessing, seems to bo worth recording : — 



A fly of tolerable size became entangled among the outer lines 

 of the snare ; the spider immediately approached, but no nearer 

 than just to reach the fly with the legs of the hinder (or fourth) 

 pair ; it then drew silken lines from its spinners, and, with the 

 samo legs, secured them to tho fly ; this was immediately followed 

 by a rapid, alternate winding action upon the fly, effected also by 

 the fourth pair of legs, occasionally assisted by one of the third 

 pair. The fly was thus quickly and completely wound up, and 

 at once carried off to the recesses of the snare in the claws of 

 tho fourth pair of legs. No bite was inflicted upon the fly, 

 which possibly may have been thus kept a living captive for days 

 to come in the spider's larder. Some species of Epeirides practise 

 a very similar mode of securing their prey. 



The palpi and palpal organs of the male are very remarkable. 

 The radial joint is very large, tumid, and of an oval form ; the 

 digital joint small and roundish. The palpal organs are 

 enormously developed, consisting of several strong, corneous, 

 pale yellowish, and deep red-brown processes. With some 

 modifications, a somewhat similar structure seems to prevail in 

 all tho species of this genus. 



