206 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



closely ; indeed, the viscidity of the beads was not only equal to that of 

 Epeira, but greater than that of some species, as, for example, that of 

 Labyrinthea. 



In order to have separate and independent testimony to this fact, I 

 requested my private secretary, Mr. Edwin S. Gault, to examine the various 

 points submitted, and give an impartial report upon the same; first, as to 

 the snapping of the snare ; second, as to the recovery of the trapline by 

 pulling upon it ; third, as to the character of the web itself, whether it 

 was a round web, resembling the Orbweavers' ; fourth, as to the character 

 of the spiral, whetlier it was beaded or unbeaded ; fifth, as to 

 elusion ^^® manner in which insects were entangled upon the web, name- 

 ly, whether they presented the appearance of having been caught in 



ordinary beaded snares of 



Mr. Gault entirely corrobo 



It may therefore be con 



yond doubt that the snare 



sum (or radiosum) as it 



only an orb of 



Theridio- scribed, but is 



ed spirals. This 



known relations 



structure, would 



the Orbweavers. But when pig. 200 



tions of structure are quite 



with those of habit to jus 



soma an 

 Orb- 

 weaver. 



Epeira. In all these points 

 rated my investigations, 

 sidered as established be- 

 of Theridiosoma gemmo- 

 appears in America is not 

 the character above de- 

 armed with viscid bead- 

 fact alone, in view of the 

 between spinningwork and 

 compel us to place it with 

 Insect entangled WO find that the iiidica- 

 sufficiently in harmony 

 tify such a decision, we 



upon snare of the Ray spi- 

 der. (Magnified.) 



can no longer hesitate. I may venture the prediction that a careful study 

 of the spinning habit of the European species will show that it entirely 

 conforms to that of its American congener. It is greatly to be desired 

 that such a study be made. 



IV. 



The first specimens of the Ray spider taken by me were hung in large 

 openings left between the breastwork stones of a ruined mill dam. The 



wall had crumbled and quite fallen away in places, leaving large 

 H b't t cavities, within whose moist, cool shelter, among feriis and mosses, 



this species had domiciled. The brook poured over the middle 

 part of the wall, making a pretty waterfall ; briers, bushes, ferns, and various 

 wood plants grew out of the wall and stretched over a deep pool twelve or 

 fifteen feet in diameter, into which the water dropped. On the lower bushes 

 and branches above the stream, and continually agitated by the splashing 

 of the water, was a colony of Stilt spiders, Tetragnatha grallator, stretching 

 their long legs along their round webs, and dancing with the motion of 

 the waves; the beautiful nets of the Featherfoot Uloborus (Uloborus plu- 

 mipes), nets of Tegenaria persica, Linyphia communis, Linyphia neophyta, 



