186 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



centre," and " has the finer part arranged in regular loops or scallops (see 

 Fig. 176, a, b^) in which separate fibres cannot be distinguished." 



The spiral lines, according to my own studies, 

 when examined under an ordinary hand lens, 

 present a milky appearance, as though composed 

 of very thinly spun material. AVith a little 

 higher power the supporting spiral thread is seen 

 passing through this milky mass. Placed under 

 a microscope, the line is seen to consist of three 

 strands, namely, the central spiral thread, and 

 two curled lines, which alternately cross and re- 

 cross each other above and below the centre, 

 forming the loops as represented at Fig. 177. In 

 this resj^ect Mr. Emerton has correctly rej^resent- 

 ed the spiral line of Hy}»tiotes. The two curled 

 lines seemed to me to be sometimes composed of 

 a flocculent instead of a smooth thread, and it is 

 this which, seen by the eye, or by a lens of low 

 power, gives the milky appearance described. 



Fig. 175. Calamistrum of Hyptiotes. 

 (After Wilder.) a, tarsus and met- 

 atarsus of fourth leg ; b, the claws, 

 open ; c, cross section of the meta- 

 tarsus, she wng its cavity in which 

 lie the muscles; also a single 

 curved bristle upon the side, a 

 part of the calamistrum ; e, a sim- 

 ilar calamistrum bristle still more 



Floccu- 

 lent 

 Thread 



a b 



Fig. 176. Thread of HjT)ti- 

 otes, sho-sving opposite 

 sides. (After Emerton.) 



enlarged; d,f, two feathered bris- The abovc results I obtained from freshlv spun 



ties from near the joints. ■, ■, ^ .-,-, --" 



webs, whose clean silk was unmarred by use. 

 Otlier studies of this cross line, made from older 

 snares, showed that it consists of one, two, or three 

 separate threads, around or between which 

 the fine flocculent material was twisted or 

 fastened somewhat as in Fig. 178. The lat- 

 ter presented a milky appearance, and was spread out so fine 

 that often no traces of independent filaments were observed. In short, it 

 was a very delicate, cottony mass, much wider at some parts than at others, 

 presenting in miniature something like the appearance of the woolen rolls 

 Avhich, as a bo}^, I used to watch with intense interest as they passed into 



the flyers of an old fashioned spinning wheel. 



In this cottony mass one frequently observes a 

 number of particles of dust, pollen, and various minute 

 amorphous objects, which have been caught 

 Bead like ^^pQj^ the sticky material as they drifted be- 

 fore the wind. As in the case of the web 

 of Uloborus, they present to the casual ob- 

 rangement of the flocculent scrvcr, cveu whcii lookcd at bv a commou magnifving 



thread. Greatly magnified. ' "^ t i "^ i 



lens, the appearance of beads upon the ordinary thread 

 of Epeira. It is not strange, therefore, that many have been deceived and 

 led to suppose that the Triangle spider makes a beaded web. The true 



1 Cobwebs of Uloborus, Am. Jour. Sci., 1883, page 205. Also New Eufrland h^piders of 

 the Family Ciniflonidte, PI. XI. 



g seeeeo eooooooc 



s 



r 



Fio. 177. Section of Hj-pti- 

 otes' snare, to show the ar- 



Append- 

 ages. 



