COMPOSITE SNARES AND SECTORAL ORBS, 



137 



great numbers on the lattice work and open slats of the corn cribs and 

 other outhouses of farms. Tn the last named site very many young spiders 

 were seen in the first week of June, having Init recently issued from the 

 cocoon. They were distributed along the lattice work for several yards, 

 forming a goodly colony. As late as June 21st a similar colony was found 

 in like position, the spiders being from one-half to two-thirds grown. In 

 July and August I found many individuals located within the interstices 



of a stone fence near the 

 seashore, at Cape Ann, 

 Massachusetts. 



Triaranea persistently 



makes a web with an 



open sector and 



free radius, that 



is, a prolonged 



line not crossed by viscid 



beads, which, although it 



may occupy 



the position 



of a radius, 



is free from f^i^l 



the general 



Free 

 Radius. 



Fig. 122. Epeira 

 radial SyS- tnaranea (glo- 



tem. Exam- ''°'^^- 

 ])les occasionally occur, 

 particularly among adult 

 webs, in Avhich the spi- 

 rals entirely cover the 

 orb space, but the gen- 

 eral habit is otherwise. 

 Among young Triaraneas 

 I have very rarely no- 

 ticed such an exception. 

 For example, in the col- 

 ony just alluded to I counted consecutively fifty-two snares, every one of 

 which had the free radius. The same fact was true of the colony of June 

 Gth. In these young webs the radius was always entirely free, with four 

 exceptions, in three of which there was one thread stretched across the 

 opening near the toj) of the wi'b, and in the otlier case there were two 

 lines so placed. 



Occasionally I have found a colony in wiiicli the tendency to a full 

 orb was much stronger than usual. One such was noticed at Niantic, 

 Connecticut. In tlie interstices of a stone wall bordering the beach of 

 Niantic Bay, on the country seat of one of my brothers, many Triaraneas 



Fig. 121. Tent and sectoral orb of Epeira triaranea. 



