OHAPTEE II. 



COURTSHIP AND "PAIRING OF THE TRIBES: LOVE DANCES 

 OF SALTIGRADES. 



Having thus considered the methods of pairing which prevail among 

 Orb weavers, we may note some of the modes wliich obtain among repre- 

 sentatives of other aranead tribes. 



I. 



On the afternoon of June 14th ^ I witnessed the pairing of a male and 



female of Linyphia marginata. The spiders were first observed at a 



quarter before four o'clock. They were hanging inverted in the 



Line- dome shaped nest of the species, in line M'ith each other and 



weavers: about three-quarters of an inch apart. Each hung within a 



J^. smaller dome which was formed by the outspread feet drawing 



nata. down the inner surface of the snare. The nest was hung from 



the under surface of a plank that jutted over from a pile of 



lumber, and was about two and a half feet from the ground ; so that, 



seated before the nest, my face was on a level with the spiders. 



The male cautiously extended one foot towards the female, and pulled 

 upon the intervening threads. I turned a moment to adjust the block 

 on which I sat, and, on looking again, the two were in embrace. The 

 female was suspended as before, although turned at right angles to her 

 first position. The male's head was laid against the sternum of the 

 female, his abdomen inclined a little upward, the fore legs interlocked 

 with, or, rather, interlaid upon those of the female. Both spiders hung 

 by threads, in the normal way. (Fig. 18. '•^) This was nine minutes be- 

 fore 4 P. M. 



After a moment's embrace the pair separated ; the female made a cir- 

 cuit of the lower part of the dome, moving in an excited, jerking manner, 

 then returned to the summit. The male approached, the female stretching 

 out her fore legs somewhat as he laid his fore legs within them, which po- 

 sition was maintained, as was the relative position of the two, during the 

 entire period of union. The female, during the act, remained perfectly 

 motionless, except an occasional twitching of the apex of the abdomen. 



The two terminal bulbs upon the male palps were laid upon the epigy- 

 num of the female, and pressed downward. From one of these issued the 



' The same species was again seen pairing in August, in Connecticut. 

 ' Drawn by Mr. J. H. Emerton for this work. 



(41) 



