106 



AMKKICAX SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



preservation in nature of the individual 

 and even the species. The wings do not 

 appear to impair the efficacy of the orb as 

 a snare for trapping the natural prey of 

 tlic spider. Such insects break upon and 

 tlirougli the web witli an elan bred of un- 

 con.sciousness of danger quite different 

 from the perceptible caution and hesitation 

 wliicli mark the conscious approach of a 

 liymenopterous foe. 



In the snare figured above (Fig. 89), 

 the number of radii was twenty-five. The 

 number of spirals in the lower part of the 

 (irb was twenty-six; in the upper part it 

 did not exceed nine. The hub was thus 

 idaced well above the geometrical centre of 

 the orl). This snare was spun by a female 

 colonized upon a young tree. After the 



Fl«. 97. R„,ii,„entary web of female Ar^iope. ^^,.j jj^.,j.y preliminary prOSpectiug, shc SpUn 



a rudiiiniitary web, Fig. 97, consisting of a few perpendicular lines looped 

 and crossed, upon which she hung in the natural posture. She remained 

 thus until evening and then spun her characteristic orb. Tliis manner of 

 resting upon a few straggling ratlins is quite habitual. Tlie male of CojAi- 

 naria appears very small by the side of his adult mate. He is not very 

 active in his predatory habits after ma- 

 turity; at least the snares upon which 

 I have always found him api)ear to be 

 jioorly adapted to the cajiture of insects, 

 although I have occasionally seen a fly 

 entangled in one of them. 



The th-awing of one of these rudiment- 

 ary webs, given at Fig. 98, was made from 

 a pencil sketch kindly furnished 



Webs of 

 the Male. 



me several years ago by Mr. Em- 

 erton, and is a fair representa- 

 tion of the ordinary character of the web 

 upon which I have found the male Copli- 

 inaria. It may be noticed that the snare 

 cjuite closely resembles the meshed hub 

 spun l)y tlie female before the shield is 

 made, and wliicli is characteristic in most 

 orbs of the genus Epeira. However, tliere 

 is a good deal of variety in tlie form of 

 the male webs, and some of tlu'Ui are much 



Male of Ar^'iopu iiiphiiiaria on a 

 rutiiiueiitary web. 



