18 



AMERICAN SriDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



Males 

 Before 

 Mating. 



It is perhaps not strange that there should be such wide differences of 

 opinion, since tlie conclusions are based cliicfly upon the indications of 

 collections. Now, in Nature, the males show themselves in great- 

 est numbers at the pairing period. They appear to mature a 

 little earlier than the females, and their solicitations have begun 

 even before there is reasonable hope for favorable response. 

 Thus, at this pai'ticular time they may be found by a collector more 

 readily than at any other, and would show in larger numbers in his col- 

 lection. As most males disap- 

 pear shortly after maturing, and 

 are probably not long lived, while 

 the female survives until after 

 cocooning, collections made after 

 the mating time would be lack- 

 ing in males. 



I have seen four males of the 

 Banded and three of the Bas- 

 ket Argiope respective- 



time upon the margni 

 of one female's snare. I have 

 observed two and three males of 

 the Labyrinth spider waiting in 

 the outer courts of the habitation 

 of tlie female of that species, and 

 the same number of the Insular 

 spider ranged near the leafy bow- 

 er of my lady Insularis. I have 

 seen two males of Agalena najvia 

 approaching at one time the door 

 of their lady's silken chamber, 

 although it must be said that one 

 of them promptly ran away when 

 he found that his rival had come 

 nearer than he. It is not unlikely that many females deposit their eggs 

 without previous fertilizing ; at all events, I have frequently found cocoons 

 containing infertile eggs. But in the long run, in view of such facts as 

 the above, it is scarcely to be questioned that Nature, who always knows 

 how to hold an even balance in the product of her living creatures, pro- 

 vides a master for every mate. 



II. 



The males of Argiope begin to mature about the middle of July, and 

 they anticipate somewhat the maturity of the female. They may be found 



• Fig. 2. Males ol" Argiope cophinaria courting the female. 



