Garden Spiders: The Telegraph-Wire 



fear. She arrives in a flash. How is she 

 apprised ? Let us explain the matter. 



The alarm is given by the vibration of the 

 web, much more than by the sight of the cap- 

 tured object. A very simple experiment will 

 prove this. I lay upon a Banded Epeira's 

 lime-threads a Locust that second asphyxiated 

 with carbon disulphide. The carcass is placed 

 in front, or behind, or at either side of the 

 Spider, who sits moveless in the centre of the 

 net. If the test is to be applied to a species 

 with a daytime hiding-place amid the foliage, 

 the dead Locust is laid on the web, more or 

 less near the centre, no matter how. 



In both cases, nothing happens at first. The 

 Epeira remains in her motionless attitude, 

 even when the morsel is at a short distance in 

 front of her. She is indifferent to the 

 presence of the game, does not seem to per- 

 ceive it, so much so that she ends by wearing 

 out my patience. Then, with a long straw, 

 which enables me to conceal myself slightly, 

 I set the dead insect trembling. 



That is quite enough. The Banded Epeira 

 and the Silky Epeira hasten to the central 

 floor; the others come down from the branch; 

 all go to the Locust, swathe him with tape, 



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