308 AMEKICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



more artistic use of the leaf. Several leaves will at times be drawn to- 

 gether, being united by the edges and tips so as to give a bell shaped 

 tent ; sometimes one leaf alone is used, the edge being folded over like 

 a grocer's cornucopia ; sometimes sprays of grasses and blossoms are 

 united witli a leaf or two, making a very pretty effect. Tlie concavity 

 of these structures is silk lined, and within it the spider sits, lier abdomen 

 forced inward and generally rested against a silken cushion or sheet. The 

 face looks towards the snare, and the spider's feet grasp a trapline which 

 is joined thereto. 



2. Again, protective industry takes the form of silken tents. ' These 

 are woven inside of leafy tents, as in the case of the Insular and Sham- 

 rock spiders, or under a leaf or other objects, as with tlie Laby- 



Silken I'iiith spider. Some species make tents of pure silk. The Domi- 

 cile spider sometimes spins a bell shaped tent, opening down- 

 ward, the apex of which is iixed within the angle of a house or against 

 tlie trunk of a tree or leaf. This dome is quite large ; from one to one 

 and a lialf inch in length and breadth at the mouth. Indeed, it may be 

 stated generally that the size of the dwelling corresponds with the size 

 of the aranead inhabiting it. There is not much waste of spinning energy. 

 There is little room for obtrusive enemies to enter into the door and share 

 with the lawful inhabitant the unoccupied space. This applies only to 

 silk nests, as the leaf ones are often very roomy. It is noticeable that spi- 

 ders which make use of curled leaves for domiciles can, when circum- 

 stances require, dispense with these leaves and provide themselves witli 

 silken tents or tubes as their sole defense. 



Epeira thaddeus makes her tent against, or under, or even within a 

 curled leaf, or within the needle like leaves of the pine. It is ordinarily 

 cylindrical, instead of bell shaped. Others, again, as the Furrow spider, 

 make a close cylinder or tube a little longer than their own length, with 

 a small opening at one end looking towards the orb. 



3. Another phase is represented by such spiders as Labyrinthea and 

 Triaranea, . in whose webs the protective industry appears to have reached 



its most complex development. In the case of the Labyrinth 

 Threefold gpi^ler there is, first, the leafy roof or screen ; there is, next, the 

 Protect- jj^^i^ ^^^^ ^j, ^^^g gp^j^ against the leaf, whose mouth opens down- 

 dustry '^'^^'^ toward the orbweb ; and then, encompassing the whole, is 



the maze or labyrinth of crossed lines, which forms in itself a 

 very complete protection against raiding insects. The same form of in- 

 dustry substantially characterizes Epeira triaranea, except that this spider 

 never provides for her silken tent a leafy roof or covering of miscellaneous 

 material. 



4. Protective industry assumes the form of wings, or aprons, or fenders 

 of crossed lines thrown out upon the flanks of the snare. The retitelarian 

 maze by which the Labyrinth spider and Triaranea protect themselves may, 



