New-York tribune., 1906-09-16
SPIDER LOVE.
The Female Shoes Much AfectiOs
for Her Young.

II is not unusual 20 find IN fields of oats paniclss
which are more less envsoped IN spiders threads
crossing in every direction. 70 form whitisn
nOdules the size Of pigeons eggs. and inclosins In
their tissue the spikeIets and sometimes the leaves
q S g S7Sil7r, rssx 1 @ Itb ~ iS - vsiIovisi
face OF the abdomen.
Upon opening one OF these nests It Is seen thas
the Interior Is hollow and that only small part
OF the cavity Is occupied BY the eggs and ne
coon, formed Q; silk IKE the SIDE q ne nest 2
which II is securely attached While the fsrnal-
which has LAID the eggs remains within the nest
she Is often found resting tae cocoon ITSELF put
Is made In the wall she goes % see what has hap
pensd. and may even 90 outside I9s ] S9 n5 rsss-,
70 mend tas breaOh IN the nest He- love FOR ths
cocoon Is manifest for she never aoandons It eYsa
How faT-Tssching this maternal love :, and -
has attempted 10 solve by removing the true mothsF
OF each nest and siyHE hsF Pa-5s 20 = ss[as ~
hts experiments have al the interest Of liza
After having made a break in The web os the nszs
the mother q removed and her place Is Etvsn 20
takes survey OF ne interior. ana a. onee ossins
- tbs nest sac goes toward the entrance and
wishes 20 PensrEats IT, but stops on finding tns
2laSs & oGeuRIsI R 80 rsran, a. ,I. ~
trance. seeks 70 defend herself against ths artaes
the dsfsnsivs- Ths mother then saows signs oe
y2ea5 d aHs & 4 a =, T4sSi seT 3 3Ssy zee F ' 15dsr s
change blows through the opening.
Ine DOlleES dtLL41e - N4oaoll-4y olL1--1At 80
threatening 20 seize her adversary, while tn.t or ns
pseudo-mothsr-who cannot come out 70 save her
self since the opening - besiesec-ls one OK tear
and only defensive sle il conscious that sle - not
a. home. Twice the 1esieger leaves rle entrancs
20 dnd other place % penstrats into the nest
the opening 20 herselr. but the ulotnef
seeing this. Immediately returns 20 seize ner !hs
pseudO-Inotner. not entirely o1t o- the nest. 80
only time throw herself back. and finally rno
mother having Withdrawn tie third time. sne .
enabled ~ a quick movement o. escape. al-holeA
the former again advances, but cannot seize hef.
The attack ca the nest By the mother continues =
quarter OF hour Then. srter having spent ses %
disappeared she enters. but comes out two sucees-
slVe times in order again % explore lie ee-eLto-
Finally she returns and, arrer rrrlaiins l-l-.es
bls for i've minutes. begins % stop up the
times but refuses positively 20 approach AluAA ne
side, and retreats preCipitatsiy. -
This experiment SHOWS tnaL tAe Is-lNl- ~ =.
readily adopts another nest, even Nl,e- -lo -,
does not defend u against the attack OF tnc ulotnl
When ths latter IS the nest she refuses 20 Ly
10 enter The mother, on the contr9ry DOES ~ .
hesitate 10 beslege her enemy ut s-le oFeIPo"e4S
The eNDerimenf Isl repeated afrfr tlc ul1l1cf nts
been kept frCm her nest twenty your nours tld y
las been found that she shows great altaclillelc {
20 IT, vita desire again 20 gain possession SUI
artached to her nest Of adoption. not leaving tr
voluntarily. and defending 10 vigorously rom
the attack OF the true mother
When the mother had been kept from tne ness
eight DAYS she did not show any interest in her
eggs nor try % recover them when placed Ia tns
vicinity.
Maternal love among the spiders which have
been studied is therefore very manifest olt y
dinnishes when the mother - Kept away. and
finally disappears How similar are human senti-
ments under Ike coudltons,-La Nature.