THE RAY SPIDER AND HER SNARE. 205 



tute of the calamistnim and cribellum, which are ahvavs associated with 

 this character of spiniiin^work, it was liardly possible that the spiral arma- 

 ture could have been of this sort. However, I was not able to testify on 

 the subject with that assurance which seemed to me desirable. It is cer- 

 tainly possible for one to be deceived by even an ordinarily careful exam- 

 ination. The webs of Theridiosoma are so habituallv i)laced in 



roun s j|.^^.j^ cavities and shaded locations, and in |)Ositions that often 

 for Doubt. ' / 



extremely embarrass tlie observer, that on this ground alone one 



would be liable to mistake. Again, I have often noticed that even the 



simple lines of Theridium will be found covered with particles of dust 



and the spherical grains of i)ollen, which at a casual glance present very 



mucli the api)earance of beads. More than once I have been drawn into 



a second and third examination ])y this deceiving resemblance. Moreover, 



I had limited my original examination to the use of a hand lens, and had 



not made the more careful microscopic test which would have placed the 



matter beyond doubt. I therefore resolved to reexamine the subject before 



a final expression of opinion. 



An opportunity to do so did not present until the 8th of July, 188'J. 



In the vicinity of Wallingford, Pennsylvania, in a shaded ravine covered 



with a wild growth of natural 



plants that overhang a stream of R 



clear running spring water (Doe's 



Run), I found a number of this 



species, and made a thorough o 



study of the point in ({uestion. I 



took witli me apparatus by which 



portions of the web could be Se})- Fig. 199. Beaded spirals on the snare of Theridiosoma 

 1 1 1 1 1 ,1 • gemmosuni. (Magnified.) 



arated and placed under the micro- 

 scope. Thus tested, in three separate snares, I was able to determine be- 

 yond doubt that the spiral line of Theridiosoma is precisely like that of 

 Epeira. The beads ui)on several strings, that is, the several portions be- 

 tween two radii, were counted, in one case numbering sixty-four. I was 

 able to make satisfactory drawings of these beads. Fig. 199. 



The behavior of the web upon the frames and glass cups was pre- 

 cisely like that of Epeira, the beads melting ui)on the surface of the 

 glass, and the string remaining as a simple line in the midst of 

 The Spir- ^|^^^ viscid mass. The beads reflected liglit ; in appearance ex- 

 ^. . , actly resembled those of Epeira, and in some cases the cord ui>on 

 which they were attached was distinctly seen running through 

 them. Further, I examined portions of the snare upon which small insects 

 had been caught, and these showed in every respect the manner of entan- 

 glement which I have so frequently observed with the true Orbweavers. 

 (Fig. 200.) Previous to removing the sections from the webs, I tested 

 them with the tip of a blade of grass, to which the lines adhered very 



