Old Farm Fairies Part 47

=Note B, p. 135.=--The aeronautic or ballooning habit of spiders is the basis of these engineering feats of the Pixies Lycosa and Gossamer. A pleasant October day is the best on which to observe it; but young spiders may be seen in aeronautic flight during all warm months. An elevated spot is usually sought from which to make the ascent. Ground spiders, as Lycosids, ascend in the manner shown Fig. 57; Orbweavers drift off as at Fig. 59. This interesting habit is described more at length in my "Tenants of an Old Farm."

=Note C, p. 137.=--Mother spiders of certain species carry their egg coc.o.o.ns until the young are hatched; some take them in their jaws as our long-legged cellar spider, Pholcus, others beneath their bodies or lashed to the end of the abdomen.

CHAPTER XVI.

=Note A, p. 144.=--Tetragnatha is a genus which has several common species in the United States and Europe, T. extensa being most familiar. Its colors, especially when young, are green and yellow, and when its long body and legs are stretched upon a leaf or twig (Fig. 64) it is difficult to detect it. The species here personified is one that keeps close to streams and ponds, Tetragnatha grallator HENTZ, the Stilt spider. The method of sailing, Fig. 66, is not imaginative but drawn from nature. The Pixie "Sixpoint" is a Citigrade spider, Dolomedes s.e.xpunctatus HENTZ. I have known it to stay under water for forty minutes.

CHAPTER XVII.

=Note A, p. 153.=--Many Orbweavers spin together several leaves, or roll up the end of a single leaf and form the nests described and shown, Fig.

69. That at p. 158, Fig. 72, was made by Epeira trifolium HENTZ. (See p.

194.)

=Note B, p. 154.=--"The Cardinal Company." Phidippus cardinalis HENTZ has its abdomen and venter covered with brilliant red hairs. Phidippus rufus HENTZ resembles it but is less brilliant. These are jumping or Saltigrade spiders, belonging to the Attidae.

CHAPTER XIX.

=Note A, p. 188.=--The Sedentary spiders, those which capture their prey by means of snares, commonly fling bands and threads of silk around the captive before feeding upon it. (See p. 69.)

CHAPTER XXII.

=Note A, p. 216.=--The habits and spinning work of a common Orbweaver _Epeira labyrinthea_ are personified in the Pixie jailer Labyrinthea.

=Note B, p. 218.=--The male spiders of Orbweavers when they "would a-wooing go," hang around the edge of the orbweb, and are not always received kindly. Sometimes, indeed, they are eaten.

=Note C, p. 220.=--"Hyptiotes." The Triangle Spider, Hyptiotes cavatus HENTZ. Its snare and mode of capturing prey are most interesting and ingenious.

=Note D, p. 223.=--This rigidity of limbs is not exaggerated, and is common to both old and young of this species.

=Note E, p. 226.=--The Labyrinth spider makes several coc.o.o.ns, strung together as the several figures show. Each one is made of two circular caps united at the edges, so that Brownie Dodge could thus open an edge and peep out.

CHAPTER XXIII.

=Note A, p. 238.=--"The water Pixie's den." The water spider of Europe, Argyroneta aquatica, makes a coc.o.o.n upon the water, somewhat in the manner described. No species with like habits has yet been discovered in America, and the author in locating the same at "Hillside," has sacrificed the facts of geographical distribution to imagination. But no doubt he will be pardoned for the sake of the incident which brings the lost Boatswain Pipe to life again.

CHAPTER XXIV.

=Note A, p. 240.=--There is some, though little, variety in the color of silk with which spiders spin their snares; but their coc.o.o.ns are often woven with bright colored silk.

CHAPTER XXV.

=Note A, p. 250.=--The tradition that spiders are sensitive to music is old and widely spread, but appears to have little or no basis in natural habit. However, the reader may find, if he will, some pleasant stories based thereon.

=Note B, p. 250.=--"Feigning death." This habit is strongly developed in many spider species.

CHAPTER XXVI.

=Note A, p. 259.=--"Bowl shaped battery." Fig. 110 was drawn from a snare of Linyphia communis HENTZ, woven among morning glories. Compare with that of Linyphia marginata HENTZ, Fig. 68, p. 151, in which the bowl is reversed.

CHAPTER XXVII.

=Note A, p. 270.=--The Trap-doors drawn at Figs. 117, 118 and 121 are from Moggridge, and are not of American species, though they differ only in size.

=Note B, p. 271.=--This habit has been attributed to the Trap-door makers, but needs to be confirmed.

=Note C, p. 275.=--The mother wasp, which lances and paralyzes the big southwestern Tarantula, Eurypelma Hentzii, is Pepsis formosa, called popularly the "Tarantula hawk." The author has seen it pursuing the above species, but does not know positively that it attacks the true Trap-door maker, Cteniza Californica.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

=Note A, p. 280.=--This is no doubt a true representation; see the three claw marks on the inside of the lid shown at Fig. 124.

=Note B, p. 284.=--The moulting period (see next Chapter), is attended with great weakness.

CHAPTER XXIX.

=Note A, p. 290.=--The sting of the spider collecting wasps destroys the power of motion, but does not at once kill; it is certainly fatal in the end, if the young wasp larva does not in the meantime eat the victim stored away for her by maternal foresight.

CHAPTER x.x.x.

=Note A, p. 309.=--Spiders have been known to thus suspend a snake, which is not so remarkable as it seems if we consider that a small garter snake ten inches long may weigh from one-eighth to one-fourth of an ounce.

=Note B, p. 313.=--The Medicinal spider, Tegenaria medicinalis HENTZ, builds in cellars and shady spots a strong sheeted web with a tower at one angle thereof.

=Note C, p. 314.=--The capture of a mouse in a spider web has been proved, at least to the author's satisfaction. Fig. 135 is a sketch of such a captive made by Governor Proctor Knott, of Kentucky.

=Note D, p. 319.=--This "fish story" is quite true. The incident occurred in a draining ditch near Eagleswood, New Jersey. The fish was three and one-fourth inches long and weighed sixty-six grains; the spider was three-fourths of an inch long and weighed fourteen grains. It was one of our large Lycosids, probably a Dolomedes The facts on which the incidents of this chapter are based, are given in Vol. I, "American Spiders and their Spinningwork."

CHAPTER x.x.xI.

=Note A, p. 324.=--Most species of Spiders are solitary in their habits; not like the social hymenoptera, as bees and ants. In this respect, the social characteristics of the Pixies are not true to nature, except in the case of spiderlings, or quite young spiders. However, some recent discoveries, especially those of the eminent French araneologist, M.

Eugene Simon, seem to point to a decided social habit in several South American species.

=Note B, p. 329.=--This nest, so much like a bird's in form, is that of Lycosa Carolinensis. It is made from the needle-like leaves of the white pine, or other available material by bending and pasting the same, as in the cut, Fig. 138.

=Note C, p. 330.=--The snares of Agalenanaevia are often seen in such situations, and are sometimes of immense size.