252 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



If any emergency arise to require it, the spider can issue a jet of silk 

 with such rapidity and of such vohmie that it is evident that strong mus- 

 cular contraction has been used upon the silk glands, thus 

 bwath- forcing the liquid material from the spinning spools without 

 any aid of the feet in drawing it out. That this is quite 

 within the ability of Orbweavers I am perfectly satisfied by frequent 



The 



Banquet 



Room. 



giope cophinaria or Epeira insu- 

 large insect, such as a grass- 

 bottle fly. (Fig. 232.) 

 ing, and without interrupting 

 of the broken radii, so that they 

 to the perfect ones, thus prevent- 

 dropping apart. This protection 

 in the very midst of the passion 

 times it is necessary to bite out 

 the fly is entangled. In that case 

 ets closes the breach with irregular 

 tain the tautness of the web. 

 is carried to the hub or den in 

 upon settles herself in the usual 

 juices through the enveloping 

 while the aranead, if upon her 

 pended by the spinnerets and 

 fore feet being used to hold 

 while it is being eaten. The 

 clasp the victim as it is turned 

 more frequently by the palps, 

 hub or den with the cap- 

 sionally accomplished by 

 swinging outward from ^^^'•''';J'';j^fJj;;^^^^^^^ point of capture upon 



the dragline which was carried after the spider 



when she rushed down upon her victim. Sometimes, instead of carrying 

 the fly in the jaws, it will be fastened to the spinnerets by a short thread, 

 and, thus burdened, the spider swings herself along, sometimes making one 

 or two swings before she reaches her central point. 



The feeding is done leisurely, and the juices so thoroughly squeezed 

 from the carcass and imbibed that, when the s])ider is done with it, it is a 

 little blackened ball of dried matter. The white silken enswathment has 

 entirely disappeared, probably having been sucked in with the juices of 

 the fly. The banquet over, the carcass is snapped out of the web by a 

 sharp movement of the head and jaws. 



I became much interested in the manner in which a nearly mature 

 female Epeira vertebrata handled a moth which she had just captured. 

 When the observation began, she was rolling the insect around as it hung 



observation of the action of Ar 

 laris when taking a particularly 

 hopper or locust, moth or blue 

 During the action of swath 

 that work, the spider takes care 

 are joined together and fastened 

 ing the orb from sagging or 

 of the orb goes on instinctively 

 of conquest and capture. Some 

 the ends of the radii upon which 

 the rapid motion of the spinner 

 lines, but quite sufficient to main 

 Ordinarily the swathed victim 

 the jaws of the spider, who there 



position and sucks the 



threads. In the mean 



web, is sus 



hind feet, the 

 and turn the carcass 

 fangs are also used to 

 by the feet or even 

 The return to the 

 tured insect is occa 



