1938] 
“Shuttling” in Argiope aurantia 
65 
the shuttling responses observed, after 3 and 5 shuttlings 
respectively ; it was then replaced by spreading. The 
shuttling response appeared to mask the spreading in the 
less behaviorally matured individuals, but the shuttling 
being on its way to extinction, the spreading became overt. 
A word as to the significance of the spreading pattern. 
As seen in A. aurantia , it commonly involved the first pair 
of legs only ; inviting the anthropopsychic analogy of “stick 
’em up” (to a threatening stimulus, as an attacking wasp) . 
A lay observer indeed interpreted this and the reaching 
movements as “fending off” the fork. Actually, it is here 
Fig. 1. A. aurantia no. 10 (7-18-36) ; an individual of specially 
aggressive response pattern. Note relative size of cephalothorax. The 
posture, and web stabilimentum are also relatively close to the adult 
type. 
looked on as a frustrated pattern of aggression ; of which it 
is the necessary initial phase, the spider extending the legs 
preliminary to grasping the prey in them. The reaching 
pattern represents a transition stage to the fully developed 
seizing pattern common in the maturer individuals. 
One has then, to do with a mixture of the clearly regres- 
sive shuttling pattern, and the undeveloped aggression of 
spreading. In 18 of the above 129 occasions of 1935, the 
shuttling occurred in combination with one or more of the 
other response types. In most cases the response in ques- 
tion preceded the shuttling, and naturally, since shuttling 
removes the spider from the characteristic stimulus. After 
