216 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



a pebble fixed therein, would have been more advantageous to the spider? 

 This is equally true of all known cases of counterpoise. 



After having cited my o})inion, as communicated in my letter to Dr. 

 Thorell, Professor Parona expresses, though with some reserve, his belief 



Fig. 204. Swingring nest of the Shamrock spider, Epeira trifolium. 



that the act recorded by him was an intentional one on the part of Meta. 

 The counterpoise could not have been lifted up from the garden path, 



as no such material entered into the composition thereof. It 

 Y{q-^ h^^ evidently come from the vault above, as it was of the same 



material, and retained living tufts of a moss that grew upon 

 the overhanging vault. Moreover, if I correctly understand Professor Parona, 



