WOOTNO AND MATING. 31 



reminded one of tlie bluster of two boys eacli threatening and daring tlie 

 other, and neither willing to be the aggressor. In a few minutes, however, 

 they both wandered away.^ 



Several males of a speeies of Icius M'hen placed within boxes proved to 

 be very (juarrelsorne, and had frequent fights, but were never found to be 



injured. Indeed, after having watched hundreds of similar bat- 

 Harmless *^^^ Ijetween the males of this and other species, Professor Peck- 

 Duels. ^"'■™ ^^^^ reached the conclusion that they are sham affairs, gotten 



up for the purpose of displaying before the females, who com- 

 monly stand by, interested spectators. This harmless nature of the conflicts 

 of spider duelists is in accordance with my own observations, and also in 

 accord with the few statements that have been made by other observers. 



The males of Dendryphantes capitatus are very quarrelsome— sparring 

 Dendry- ^'''^"^'^'®^' '■''^^ ™^®*^' chasing each other about, and sometimes 

 phantes. ^^"iching. The Peckhams put eight or ten males into a box, 



and they fought; and, although it seemed cruel sport, it was 

 soon apparent that tliey were very prudent little fellows, and were fully 

 conscious that — 



" He who fights an<i runs away 

 Will live to fight another day." 



In fact, after two weeks of hard fighting, the observers were unable to 

 discover one wounded warrior. When approaching for combat the males 

 hold the first legs up in a vertical direc- 

 tion. Sometimes they drop the body upon 

 one side, as they jump about each other. 

 These movements are very quick, and they 

 are always ready for a passage at arms.'-^ 

 Two males of Zygoballus bettini, while 

 executing a dance before a female, engaged ^^ 



in a quarrel. They ran savage- ~^ ^ ^ 



ylu?,l ly "pon each other and fought „ „ „ .,. V^^ ^ ' 



ballUS. . f , . 1 . ^'"- "• Position of two male Saltigrades, 



twenty-two mniUteS, durnig one Zygoballus bettini, when figliting. (After 



round, remaining clinched for six minutes. P'^'^'''"""' 



When fighting, the abdomen is held nearly at a right angle with the 

 ccphalothorax. (Fig. 11.) The combat^uits appeared tired at the close of 

 the battle, but after a short rest were perfectly well and fought a number 

 of times subsequently.^ 



Several males and' females of Phikeus militaris were placed together 

 in a box. Among the males was a large fellow, who proved to be a 

 universal bully. In the course of time another male, almost his size, was 



' Observations on Sexual Selection in Spidoi-s of tlie Funiily Attidic. Oecas. Papers Nat. 

 Hist. 8o(;. Wis., Vol. I., 1889, page 39. 



■^ Poi^lthani, ill., page 45. ■' Idem, page 48. 



