April  17,  1902 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
343 
difficult  to  detect,  being  rather  handsome,  yellowish  green, 
marked  with  brown,  the  female  larger  and  shorter  legged  than 
their  male  companions.  This  spider  proves  to  be  Thoemasus 
citrinus,  and  the  fly  in  this  case  was  Empis  tessellata ;  probably 
A  frequent  object  upon  tlie  under  side  of  leaves  in  gardens  is 
the  white  cocoon  of  Theridion  pallens.  It  has  a  pearly  appear¬ 
ance,  with  some  little  points  upon  its  surface.  The  female  spider 
genei'ally  deposits  several  of  these  cocoons,  each  containing  a 
Bauhinia  acuminata. 
various  flies  besides  are  captured.  The  curious  part  of  it  is  tliat 
the  Empis  is  a  carnivorous  fly,  seizing  smaller  species  and  piercing 
them  with  its  beak;  but  it  does  not  escape  this  artful  spider, 
.^so,  the  species  has  been  found  lurking  in  yellow  and  red 
Roses,  ofi  Miillein,  and  the  Ox-eye  Daisy. 
score  or  tAvo  of  eggs.  In  another  species  of  this  genus  the  cocoons 
are  jdaced  under  a  compact  silken  tent.  These  spiders  do  not 
form  a  regular  web,  but  throw  loose  threads  over  plants ;  many  of 
the  captives  break  away  before  the  hunter  can  secure  them. 
■ — Entomologist. 
