BIOLOGICAL MISCELLANY. 73 



as sliown in Fig. 50. It, however, hung partially by the radial supports 

 attached to either end of the foundation line. I was fortunately on the 

 spot when the accident occurred, and saw Trifolium issue in the most ex- 

 cited manner from her leafy den among the oak bushes and rush across 

 her ruptured foundation line. From one of her hind feet she held out a 

 stout thread, which evidently had been instantaneously extruded. In some 

 way, which was accomplished too rapidly for my eyes to take in 

 Mendnig- ^|^g details thereof, she flung her body across the gap, and reached 



tion Line ^''^^^^ ^^^^ ^°^^ ^^^^ *''® opposite end of the sundered foundation 

 line, to which she clung, while with the aforementioned thread and 

 with other spinningwork flung rapidly from her spinnerets she spliced 

 the break and thus restored the foundation line. During all this time she 

 was swaying back and forth upon the thread, like a sailor upon a yard 

 arm reefing sails in a heavy gale. 



The whole process struck me as exceedingly ingenious, and it was 

 accomplished with such rapidity, without the slightest hesitation as to what 

 ought to be done and the method of doing it, that I concluded that this 

 experience was not a new one, but that Trifolium was quite well used to 

 and thoroughly prepared for such emergencies. Her next step was to 

 gather up the radial supports attached to the foundation line, and thus 

 make good her orb for its intended uses. I could not stay to see the 

 details of this action, but have no doubt that the web was entirely repaired 

 and, after the subsidence of the wind, was as good as ever. It may be 

 well, however, to say that the foundation line^ is regarded as the most 

 important part of a spider's real estate. Given a foundation line there is 

 no trouble, ordinarily, in swinging thereto a snare; but often spiders are 

 sorely put to it to secure this, for which they are usually dependent upon 

 the condition of the wind. It may, therefore, be that the rupture of the 

 foundation line, in the case above described, was regarded as a capital 

 accident, which called for special energy and prompt action. It is proba- 

 ble that an ordinary rupture in any portion of the snare itself would have 

 been regarded with indifference, and that Trifolium would have remained 

 snugly ensconced within her domicile until the gale had overblown, and 

 perhaps would have taken no notice of it at all. 



Of course, in considering this matter of repairing snares, tjie observer 

 will distinguish between the comparatively ephemeral web of the Orb- 

 weaver and the moi'e permanent snare of the Tubeweaver. Such 

 Patching' spifiers as Agalena nsevia and Tegenaria medicinalis^ build almost 

 weavers Permanent abodes for their occupaftts. The tubular portion of 

 the snare is their home, and the snare is rarely rebuilt, never 

 indeed, I believe, unless it is completely destroyed. That these spiders do 

 mend their webs I know, having observed the same. As they grow they 



' See Vol. I., page 60. - See Vol. I., page 239, Fig. 221. 



