COMPARATIVE (X)COONING INDUSTRIES. 165 



in work. But as her mutilation prevented her from making the ordinary 

 speed in spinning, this cannot be taken as a fair test of the time which 

 an able bodied spider would require for the same work. In 

 o^°^^f • point of fact, I think that half the time, or from two hours 

 Weaving ^^ *^™ ^^^^ ^ half, is the period commonly taken by the fe- 

 male Argiope cophinaria to construct her beautiful and intricate 

 cocoon. I had the opportunity, since making the above detailed observa- 

 tions, to see other Argiopes spinning their cocoons. The process is always 

 the same, except that those spiders which (unlike Prima) have both their 

 hind legs, use them alternately in drawing out and packing the spinning 

 stuff. 



n. 



Without entering into details as fully as with Argiope, we may state 

 generally the methods of cocoon construction practiced by other species 

 and tribes. This will give suificient material for comparison. 

 th^^^h' '^^^^ same mode of weaving is used by Epeira and all other 

 Orbweavers whose habit in this regard is known to me. Mr. 

 Emerton^ gives a brief description of the manner in which Epeira strix 

 weaves her cocoon. She touches her spinnerets as in Fig. 200, drawing 

 them away at a short distance, and at the same time pressing upwards 

 with the hind feet, as in Fig. 201. Then she moves the abdomen a little 

 sidewise and attaches the bands of threads so as to form a loop. She 

 keeps making these loops, turning at the same time, so as to form a 

 rounded bunch of them. 



Of the Linewcavers, I have seen Theridium tepidariorum engaged in 

 overspinning her eggs. Fig. 202 represents this spider in the act of put- 

 ting the finishing touches upon the outer case of one cocoon, while two 

 others are hanging within the intersecting lines of her snare, from one 

 of which a little brood of spidcrlings has already escaped. The cocoon 

 was suspended by a stout thi-ead to the thickened mass near the top of 

 the web, upon which the mother held with one long fore leg while she 

 clasped and revolved her cocoon with the other legs. The spinning ma- 

 terial was drawn out and laid on in loops as described at length of 

 Argiope. 



The process of making a cocoon, as practiced by the Speckled Agalena, 

 was observed in the case of a female confined within a glass jar. A leaf 

 was laid against the inner side of the vessel as a suitable object 

 Making ^ upon which to place the cocoon should the mother be inclined 

 p to use it. She presently availed herself of the opportunity, and 



wove upon the leaf a cocoon of the ordinary sort. I did not 

 observe the whole process, but saw the finishing. The silken rug had 



' Habite and Structure," page 101. 



