INSECTS AND THEIR NEAR RELATIVES 



ii 



Family Agelenid^e 

 The Funnel-web Spiders 



Even the most careful observers seldom realize what an immense 

 number of spider-webs are spun upon the grass in the fields. But oc- 

 casionally these webs are made visible in the early morning by the dew 

 which has condensed upon them. At such times we may see the grass 

 covered by an almost continuous carpet of silk. 



The greater number of the webs seen at such times are of the form 

 which we term funnel-webs. They consist of a concave sheet of silk, 

 usually with a funnel-shaped tube at one side, and numerous lines extend- 



Fig. 25. — Web of Agelena. 



ing in all directions to the supporting spears of grass (Fig. 25). The 

 tube serves as a hiding-place for the owner of the web; from this retreat 

 the spider runs out on the upper surface of the web to seize any insect 

 that alights upon it. The tube opens below, near the roots of the grass; 

 so that the spider can escape from the web if a too formidable insect 

 comes upon it. 



The funnel-web spiders are long-legged usually brownish individuals 

 with the hind pair of spinnerets very long while the feet have three 

 claws. The eyes of these spiders are eight in number and arranged in 

 two rows. 



Probably the most common spider in our fauna is the grass-spider or 

 funnel-web weaver (Agelena noma) whose webs are found everywhere 

 during the summer spun on the grass. The webs are most conspicuous 

 in the early morning when the dew has condensed on them. 



To this family also belongs the remarkable aquatic spider of Europe 

 (Argyroneta aquatica) which lives among plants at the bottom of clear 

 quiet ponds. It breathes air adhering to its body which it brings from 

 above the surface of the water. 



Family Dictynid^e 



The Hackled-band Spiders with irregular webs 



Certain spiders are remarkable for using two kinds of silk in the for- 

 mation of their webs. Thus, as explained later, the orbweavers build 



