SPIDERS. 311 



As a contrast to tlie little elastic satin nest of the 

 hunter, we may mention the largest with which we are 

 acquainted, — that of the labyrinthic spider (^Agelena lahyrin- 

 thica, Walckenaer). Our readers must often have seen 

 this nest spread out like a broad sheet in hedges, furze, 

 and other low bushes, and sometimes on the ground. The 

 middle of this sheet, which is of a close texture, is swung 

 like a sailor's hammock, by silken ropes extended all 

 around to the higher branches ; but the whole curves 

 upwards and backwards, sloping down to a long funnel- 

 shaped gallery which is nearly horizontal at the entrance, 

 but soon winds obliquely till it becomes quite perpen- 

 dicular. This curved gallery is about a quarter of an inch 

 in diameter, is much more closely woven than the sheet 

 part of the web, and sometimes descends into a hole in the 

 ground, though oftener into a group of crowded twigs, or a 

 tuft of grass. Here the spider dwells secure, frequently 

 resting with her legs extended from the entrance of the 

 gallery, ready to spring out upon whatever insect may fall 

 into her sheet net. She herself can onty be caught by 

 getting behind her and forcing her out into the web ; but 

 though we have often endeavoured to make her construct a 

 nest under our eye, we have been as unsuccessful as in 

 similar experiments with the common house spider (^Aranea 

 domestica.^ (J. E.) 



The house spider's proceedings were long ago described 

 by Homberg, and the account has been copied, as usual, 

 by almost every subsequent writer, Goldsmith has, indeed, 

 given some strange misstatements from his own. observa- 

 tions, and Bingley has added the original remark, that, 

 after fixing its first thread, creeping along the wall, and 

 joining it as it proceeds, it ^' darts itself to the opposite side, 

 where the other end is to be fastened!"* Romberg's 

 spider took the more circuitous route of travelling to 

 the opposite wall, carrying in one of the claws the end 

 of the thread previously fixed, lest it should stick in the 

 wrong place. This we believe to be the correct statement, 



* Animal BiogTapby, iii. 470-1. 



