32 
Psyche 
[March 
eggcase was not constructed within the sand, but the base of the lower 
rim was about 5 mm above the level of the substrate. The eggcase was 
made 9 months after first mating in July ? 1967. This period is gen- 
erally much shorter in other spiders: days, or at most weeks. 
On 4 June 1968, a smudge mark was again observed on the vertical 
paper wall. On 5 June, in the morning a foundation was present 
(Fig. 1). The spider container was moved and placed in light on a 
work desk for easier observation. Perhaps as a result of this disturb- 
ance the spider did not resume work until the night of 12-13 June. 
The cup was slowly built up and its walls, as well as the mud lining, 
seemed complete on the morning of 14 June. Interrupting her build- 
ing on 13 June, the spider was observed to mate again. (Since con- 
struction of the first eggsac the spider had crossed the cardboard parti- 
tion into the compartment of the male.) It was seen that the masonry 
construction material is made by incorporating sand with silk. The 
spider, jumping down from the eggcase, throws sand back with the 
first two legs as if beginning to bury herself (Reiskind, 1966.) How- 
ever, instead of jumping into the depression, the spider bends her 
abdomen down so far that the pedicel shows, and pushes her abdomen 
into the pile of sand thrown up, rocking slowly from side to side (Fig. 
2). The spider then moves up to the rim with a disc shaped load of 
sand around the spinnerets (Fig. 3) and pulls threads out of the 
spinnerets with the usual abdominal motions up and down (away 
from the rim and approaching it) and at times sideways, incorporating 
sand grains. From the motion it was assumed that silk is used to in- 
corporate the sand into the wall. 
The timing in one rapid sequence was as follows: at 10 a.m.^ spider 
jumps down on the sand; 15 sec later, she throws sand with her 
front legs; 5 sec she rocks abdomen in sand for 10 sec; all motion 
stops for 55 sec; spider jumps with load of sand up to the rim of the 
eggcase, and after sitting quietly, continues construction on the rim. 
1 min 35 sec after jumping up, she jumps down again, turns, throws 
sand, rocks her abdomen, rests, and jumps up to the rim. She first 
touches the rim with palps. Temporarily in throwing back sand, the 
spider removed all sand to the bare plastic bottom under the eggcase, 
but later she replaced the sand. The male once emerged from the 
sand, put his long legs over the female, then backed up and away. 
On 14 June, 9 p.m. (21 h) the rim seemed finished and perfectly 
circular (Fig. 4.) The next observation was made at 3 A.M., 15 June. 
The eggs must have been laid, as the eggcase was finished covered by 
the lid (Fig. 5). At 6 a.m. the female walked around in the sand, 
