32 SPIDERS [CH. 



one another at random in all directions. These are 

 the snares of some species of Theridion, and if the 

 webs lack interest the spiders themselves are worth 

 looking at, for they are nearly always quite prettily 

 ornamented. 



The other common type of snare is that of 

 Linyphia. It is larger and of more definite design, 

 consisting of a finely-spun hammock stretched hori- 

 zontally, and surmounted by a labyrinth of irregular 

 lines. Flies entangled in the labyrinth fall upon the 

 hammock in their struggles to escape, and the spider 

 is at hand always on the under surface of the ham- 

 mock to ensure their capture. 



Haying noted these three common types of snare, 

 let us leave the garden and choose a new field for our 

 observations. 



If it is an absolutely calm sunny October morning- 

 it will be a suitable occasion for visiting an iron 

 railing, the "knobbier' the better. Early summer 

 will do, but late autumn is generally more fruitful. 

 Almost any railing will serve, but the most satisfactory 

 kind is one with the uprights surmounted by round 

 knobs, and not by spikes. We see at once that the 

 knobs, and the upper rail are glistening with silken 

 lines ; many spiders have obviously been at work there. 

 Lines streak the top-rail in all directions, stretch 

 from knob to rail, or from knob to knob if not too 

 distant, while here and there loose ends or streamers 



