82 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



it is rare. It seems to be less fond of human society, or else less able 



to stand the exigencies of civilization than Cophinaria. In outlying 

 sections, where Nature has been less disturbed 

 by men, it may probably be found more readily. 

 It is suspended by means of silken guys to the 

 leaves and stalks of grass or low growing plants, 

 which are bent over and also lashed together 

 above the swinging egg nest in the maimer rep- 

 resented at Fig. 47. Again, it may be found as 

 at Fig. 48, swung in the midst of a retitelarian 

 maze woven amidst the branches and leaves of a 

 bush, or, as at Fig. 49, seated and suspended in 

 the crotches of a wild meadow flower. 



The shape of her cocoon differs from Coph- 

 inaria's in being hemispheroidal instead of pyri- 

 form ; in other words, it resembles the lower half 

 of a spheroid. Across the wide top is stretched a 

 circular piece of silk, like the head of an Indian 

 drum. (Fig. 50.) The outer case is of stiff yellow 

 silk, as is also the head or top ; this part, in a 

 cocoon now before me, is somewhat darker in color 

 than the rest of tlie case. A marginal flap sur- 

 rounds the head, and has various points to which 



guy lines were attached in site. (See Fig. 50.) The height and width of the 



cocoon are about tlie same — one-half inch. When the outer case is cut aside, 



as at Fig. 51, the interior is seen to con- 

 sist, first, of a yellow flossy envelope, 



which is packed between the inner wall ; 



and, second, an egg pad, which is not 



composed of purple silk as in Cophinaria, 



but of yellow silk plush loosely woven, 



and is three-eighths of an inch long. 



Within this are the eggs. Immediately 



above is the egg cover of white silk 



plush, which is commonly flat, not con- 

 cave as with Cophinaria. It is about 



one-eighth inch thick, and is attached 



firmly by silken threads to the inside 



of the top of the case. Against tliis 



cover, no doubt, the eggs are oviposited 



upwards, and are then covered by the 



mother spider. The portion of the egg cover is shown at Fig. 51, where 



one edge adheres to the remaining part of the top of the case, and also 



at Fig. 52, where the object is viewed from the side. 



Fig. 47. Banded Argiope's cocoon 

 beneath a canopy of leaves and 

 grass tops. 



FiQ. 48. Cocoon of Argiope argyraspis, suspended 

 amidst supporting cross lines upon a bush. 



