236 



AMERICAN Sl'IDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



had fastened ui)on it with a deadly grip just on the forward side of the 

 dorsal fin, and the poor iish was swimming round and round slowly, or 



twisting its body as if in pain.^ (Fig. 219.) The head of its 

 A Spider |ji;,(.i^ enemy was sometimes almost pulled under water, but the 

 Captures ^.^j.^ .^jj ^f ^]^^ fjg}^ would not permit an entire submersion. It 



moved its fins as if exhausted, and often rested. Finally it 

 swam under a floating leaf near the shore and made a vain effort to dis- 

 lodge the spider by scraping against the under side of the leaf. 



The two had now closely approached the bank. Suddenly the long 

 Idack legs of the spider emerged from the water, and the liimlcr ones 

 reached out and fastened upon 

 the irregularities of the sides of 

 the ditch. The spider commenced 

 tugging at his prize in order to 

 land it. The observer ran to the 

 nearest house for a wide-mouthed 



I'l'.. 219. A tisli ciiptured by a Dolomede spider. 



bottle, leaving his friend to watch tlie struggle. During an interval of six 

 or eight minutes' absence the spider had drawn the fish entirely out of 

 the water ; then both creatures had fallen in again, tlie bank being nearly 

 perpendicular. There followed a great struggle, and on Mr. Spring's re- 

 turn the fish was already hoisted head first more than half its length out 

 ui)on the land. It was very much exhausted, hardly making any move- 

 ment, and was being slowly and steadily draw^l up by the spider, who 

 had evidently gained the victory. She had not once quit her hold dur- 

 ing the period of a quarter to half an hour of observation. Her head 

 was directed toward the fish's tail; she stepped backward u]i an elevation 

 of forty-five degrees, drawing her captive with her. 



' Tlie figure has l)een drawn from a skeU'h furnished by Mr. Spriufx, wlio i.« a cuniiK'tcnt artist. 



