252 



AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINXINGWORK. 



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

 with such rapidity and of sucli vokunc tliat it is evident that strong mus- 

 cular contraction has been used upon the silk glands, thus 

 forcing the liquid material from the spinning spools without 

 any aid of the feet in drawing it out. That tliis is (piite 

 within the ability of Orbweavers I am perfectly satisfied Ijy frequent 



Swath- 

 ing. 



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 sutlicient to main 



Ordinarily the swathed victim 



the jaws of the spider, who there 



])Osition and sucks the 



■^'^® threads. In the mean 



Banquet , 



„ web, IS sus 



Room. ' 



Innd feet, the 



and turn the carcass 



fangs are also used to 



by the feet or even 



The return to the 



tured insect is occa 



giope cophinaria or Epeira insu- 

 large insect, such as a grass- 

 l)ottle fly. (Fig. 232.) 

 ing, and without interrupting 

 of the broken radii, so that tliey 

 to the perfect ones, thus prevcnt- 

 dropi^ing aj^art. This protection 

 in tlie very mid.st 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 thi'ough the envcloi>ing 

 while the aranead, if upon her 

 pended by the spinnerets and 

 fore feet being used to liuld 

 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 



Fig. 231. The swathing narrowed ^j^^^ -^^^ ^^ cai)ture UIIOU 



^read. i ^ ' 



to a single thread. 



swiiif^ing outward from 



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 ceiitral point. 



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

 from the carcass and imbibed tliat, when the spider 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 \vt.'\> 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 wluch she had just captured. 

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



