SOCIAL HABITS OF SPIDERS. 4] 
XII. 
A third type of assemblage was observed by Mr. Simon in a species of 
Uloborus (U. republicanus), which is declared to be much more perfect, 
because it presents at the same time a common snare contributed 
by all the partners, and an individual snare proper to each one. 
Many hundreds of this Uloborus live together ; they spin between 
the trees an immense web, formed of a central net quite compact, 
upon which many individuals of the two sexes hang side by side, but these 
assemblages are chiefly composed of males, This net is suspended by long 
threads diverging in all directions, ,and attached to surrounding objects. 
In the intervals of the open spaces” formed by these large threads other 
Ulobori hang upon their orbicular snares, in rays and circles, each one of 
which is occupied by a single individual. One may see from time to time 
a spider detach itself from the central group, in order to seek among the 
upper cables a suitable place for 
the fabrication of its orbicular 
web, 
It is the central net that ap- 
pears to serve as the place of 
pairing, as far as the 
observer was able to 
judge by the quantity 
of males which were there gath- 
ered together. There, at least, it 
is certain that the hatching of 
the eggs takes place. This ap- 
pears to occur almost simultane- 
ee cies set t ene Fic. 87. Females of Uloborus _ SAO R with their 
hanging cocoons. 
the males have disappeared, the ey 
females have ceased to spin their regular snares, and hang motionless 
upon their central net, a few centimetres distant from each other, each one 
guarding her cocoon. (Fig. 37.) The cocoon itself is most singular in 
shape, and resembles more a bit of vegetable fibre accidentally fallen upon 
the snare than the spinningwork of a spider. In its general features it 
resembles the cocoons of our American Uloborus. (Vol. IL., page 107, 
Fig. 103.) 
The habits of this Uloborus differ little in their general characteristics 
from those of our American species. I have elsewhere described their tend- 
ency to hold rather closely to the neighborhood in which they were hatched, 
so that their snares may be seen in close contiguity. Indeed, other species 
of Orbweavers have the same tendency; and I have observed a number 
of small snares of young specimens spun upon the broad sheeted common 
Uloborus 
Republi- 
canus. 
Guarding 
Cocoons. 
