A rniitt : Observatmis on Spiders at Rydal. 



11 



Linyphia pusilla lives by the lake shore. On 14th May, after 

 hot weather, I found a youngf female out on a web which she 

 had constructed between the small stones left dry by the low- 

 ness of the water. L. cauta I have taken from its web in late 

 June, in the damp dark rocks by the Rydal Falls. 



Towards the end of June the morning- dews show numbers of 

 tiny sheet-webs set in the lawn g-rass almost close to earth. 

 Perhaps these are the work of the small ant-like Erigone nigra, 

 which is often met with in the grass. 



The Theridion spiders, that construct irregfular webs of criss- 

 cross lines, are most interesting to watch in their domestic 

 arrangements. Of this genus, denticulatum, lineatiim, and 

 sisyphiuni live in the garden. The latter may be found in July 

 in the full swing of household duty. The web is set perhaps in 

 an Irish yew (a favourite bush with spiders), and towards the 

 top of it, under a twig, a special shelter or wigwam is 

 arranged, which is made up of the dried carcases of flies 

 slaughtered in the snare. Under this the mother-spider, 

 patterned in ruddy brown, may be seen resting in the 

 day, with some spiderlings running about her. Occasionally 

 she may be caught out, tempted by a great fly in the centre 

 of the web, which with enormous labour (for it is larger than 

 herself) and much damage to the web, she drags to her retreat. 

 As she nears her goal, the little ones, eager perhaps for food, 

 run out on the fine strands to meet her. Once I brought a 

 Theridion and her wigwam (within which could be dimly seen 

 the egg-bag) from the fell into the garden upon a juniper-tip, 

 and tied this to the spike of a tiger-lily — a position voluntarily 

 chosen by another of the species. But the little mother, who 

 made no attempt to escape, was by no means satisfied with the 

 arrangement. In the morning she had abstracted the precious 

 ball of grey-green silk, and was found to have carried it under 

 a lily-leaf. But th^t would not do : in a few hours it was back 

 under the juniper-twig, and well hidden ; by evening it was out 

 again and round the stalk. Finally, after several trials of places, 

 she settled under the leaf first tried, constructed a snare about 

 the flower-buds and leaves, and by the evening of the second 

 day had the satisfaction of carrying up the first victim of her 

 toils, which would serve both as food and covering. . 



Many spiders appear to care for their young during 

 infancy. Even the Lycosa or wolf-spiders, that make neither 

 web nor lair, but live by the chase, do so. Their special difficulty 

 in being homeless is got over by carrying the egg-bag constantly 



1905 March i. 



