260 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



relative to tlie sun favorable for such observation, the motion of the 

 air which carried tliem upward, as well as the rapidity of flight, frustrated 

 many attempts. A position was finally taken beside one of the side posts 

 of the sliding "bars," wliicli being opened gave a jioint of observation with 

 the back to the sun, tlie eye upon the object, and a fair opportunity to 

 follow it without the delaj' of leaping over a high fence, which before had 

 been between the observer and the course of the aeronaut sailing before the 

 wind. Fortune favored patience, and at last a spider took flight in a line 

 which was a little higher than the face. 



Following the aranead at a moderate run, with the eye held closely 

 upon it, I observed that the position of the body was soon reversed ; that 

 is, the head was turned in the direction toward which the wind was blow- 

 ing, instead of the point from which it 

 blew, as before the ascent. Thus tlue long 

 thread which streamed out above the aero- 

 naut inclined forward, and at the top was 

 in advance of its head. I also observed 

 that the legs were spread ov;t, and that 

 they had been united at the feet bj' deli- 

 cate filaments of silk. The action by 

 which the spinningwork was accomialished 

 was not noticed, owing to the smallness of 

 the creature, the rapidity of its move- 

 ments, and the difficulty of such an excep- 

 tional mode of observation. But the fact 

 was noted. The reason naturally suggested 

 for it is the increased buoyancy resulting 

 Pig. 271. Attitude of ballooning spider jnst froiii the increased sui'face thus offered to 

 ^:^t^:::^~"""""^''^"the resistance of the air, provided, of 



course, any reason be required beyond the 

 animal's need of some sort of foothold wliile afloat. Mr. Emerton,' in the 

 course of some accurate observations of ballooning spiders, says that the 

 most of them while afloat hung by their spinnerets only, and drew their 

 legs close against tlieir bodies, a posture which I have also sometimes ob- 

 served. 



The spider whose behavior I am now describing was followed for a dis- 

 tance of eighty feet, when it gradually settled downward upon the meadow. 

 Before, or rather during, this ascent a small, wliite, flossy ball of silk Was 

 seen accumulating at the mouth, Avhich, with the peculiar motion of the 

 fore feet, jjalps, and mandibles, at once suggested the drawing in of a 

 thread. This behavior is not infrequent with spiders under other circum- 

 stances; indeed, it may nearly always be observed wlien webs are being 



' "Flying Spiders," Aiiicrican Xatunilist, 1872, pages l(iS-SI. 



