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years, many individuals of the domestic spider. Some females 
which he had isolated, produced in succession several ge- 
nerations equally fruitful. The domestic spider grows con- 
siderably with age, and some individuals are found extremely 
large; but according to Lister the feet alone increase in 
volume, and become more hairy. 
The Aranea labyrinthica constructs its web on the same 
model ; but it places it on hedges, bushes, at the lower part 
of trees, or on different tufted vegetables. There may be 
seen in the fields, towards the end of summer, a great quantity 
of these webs. This species, however, is less common towards 
the north of Europe. Lister observes, that it establishes itself 
preferably in the neighbourhood of the habitations of the 
great ants. It also appears that this spider lays its threads 
in succession, to embarrass these insects while they are 
running; that it stings them when they stop, and returns to 
seek them some seconds after, when the poison has produced 
its effect. It also feeds on bees ; but in failure of them, on 
other insects, even on coleoptera. The feet of the male are 
larger than those of the female, as well as in the common 
spider. Coupling takes place, at least in the south of Eng- 
land, towards the end of July. The cocoon is placed like 
that of the domestic spider, and contains about sixty eggs of 
a whitish colour, which Lister observes were the largest he 
had ever seen. 
A female which he reared, suspended her cocoon to the 
middle of a glass in which she was enclosed. She enveloped 
it with different webs, divided by partitions, forming kinds of 
chambers or alleys, but which conducted to the depot of the 
eggs. The cocoon had the figure of a star. 
In the genus Argykoneta, the habits of the only species, 
Aquatica, have, from their singularity, attracted the attention 
of several naturalists. It lives in the dormant or very slow’ 
waters of marshes and dykes, wdiich are not dried up, at least 
