x CONTENTS 



CHAP. PAGE 



XIII. The Spinning Apparatus. Spinnerets. Their 



mobility. Spools and spigots. Glands. Ar- 

 rangement in Epeira. No interweaving of 

 lines. Functions of glands. Spinning opera- 

 tions. The Oibellum. The feet of spiders . 110 



XIV. The Enemies of Spiders. Cannabalism. Egg 



parasites. Moulting. Starvation. Body 

 parasites. Solitary wasps. A gruesome fate 120 



XV. Concluding Reflexions. The "use" of spiders. 



Wide range of habits. Complexity of instincts. 

 The mystery of the egg. The storage of 

 energy. Economy in diet. Conclusion . 126 



LITERATURE 133 



INDEX 135 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



Frontispiece. The Banana Spider. 

 FIG. 



1. A Spider, a Mite and a Harvestman . . 9 



2. The Garden-spider and its snare . . 15 



3. Stretching the viscid line 19 



4. Preparing for flight . . 35 



5. Agelena at work . . .... 44 



6. A Crab-spider . 53 



7. Wolf-spiders 64 



8. A Jumping Spider 77 



9. The eyes of a Jumping Spider 78 



10. The love dance 84 



11. Stridulating "keys" . ... 108 



12. Spinnerets 114 



13. Spiders' feet 119 



