356 



POOD OF INSECTS. 



rushes out upon her prey. Aranea latens F. conceals itself 

 under a small net spun upon the upper surface of a leaf, and 

 thence seizes upon any insect that chances to pass over it. 

 Theridium \Z-guttatum forms under stones and in slight fur- 

 rows in the ground a net consisting of threads spun without 

 any regularity in all directions, but so strong as to entrap 

 grasshoppers, which are said to be its principal food ; and a 

 similar inartificial snare of simple threads is often spun in 

 windows by Theridium bipunctatum and several other species. 

 Segestria senoculata and its affinities conceal themselves in a 

 long cylindrical straight silken tube, from the mouth of 

 which they stretch out their six anterior feet, whose ex- 

 tremities rest upon as many diverging threads : thus, as soon 

 as an insect walks across any of the threads (which are eight 

 or ten inches long) the insect's toes give it warning of prey 

 being at hand, when it rushes out and seldom fails to secure 

 its victim. 



" The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine ! 

 Feels at each thread, and lives along the line." 



M. Romberg tells us that he has seen a vigorous wasp 

 carried off and destroyed by one of these species. 



The spiders to which I have hitherto adverted seize their 

 prey by means of webs or nets ; but a very large number, 

 though, like the former, they spin silken cocoons for con- 

 taining their eggs, and often line their cells and places of 

 retreat with silk, never employ the same material in con- 

 structing similar snares, of which they make no use. 



These may be separated into two grand divisions : the first 

 comprising those which conceal themselves and lie in ambus- 

 cade for their prey, and sometimes run after it a short dis- 

 tance ; the second, those which are constantly roaming about 

 in every direction in search of it, and seize it by open vio- 

 lence. The former Walckenaer, in his admirable work on 

 spiders, has designated by the name of Vagrants, the latter by 

 that of Hunters ; terming those already mentioned which spin 

 webs and nets, Sedentaries : if to these you add the Swim- 

 mers, or those species which catch their prey in the water. 



