AKCIII TKCTUItK <>F AUSTRALIAN ARAXRID.B — H.MNHOW. 337 



Fig. 53. Nest of N. re iiicosa, Raiiib. 

 uttuched to and suspended amongst the stalks of plants adjacent 

 to the web The webs of our Sydney Sejihihi', and their strength 

 to retain small birds accidentally ensnared have already been 

 described by me.-'' 



Much of the silk of these and congeneric spiders is emjiloyed 



by birds to line their nests. Tn addition to this Nfphiln silk is 



used by savage man for a a ariety of purposes. In some of the 



South Sea Islands it is sometimes applied by liim to decorate 



'^* Rainbow— Pivc Linn. Soc. N. S. WaleP, xx., 1895. pp. 354 359. 



