56 



" The weaving spider which is found in houses, having selected some coi'ner for the 

 site of her weh, and determined its extent, presses her spinners against one of the walls, 

 and thus glues to it one end of her thread. She then walks along the wall to the opposite 

 side, and there in like manner fastens the other end. This thread, wliich is to form the 

 outer margin or selvage of her web, and requires strength, she triples or quadruples by a 

 repetition of the operation just described ; and from it she draws other threads in various 

 directions, the interstices of which she tills up by running from one to the other, and con- 

 necting them by new threads until the whole has assumed tlie gauze-like texture which 

 we see. 



f 



Fig. 23. 



" The webs just described present merely a simple horizontal surface, but others 

 more frequently seen in out-houses and amongst bushes possess a very artificial appen- 

 dage. Besides the main web, the spider carries up from its edges and surface a number 

 of single threads, often to the height of many feet, joining and crossing each other in 

 various directions. Across these lines, which may be compared to the tackling of a ship, 

 flies seem unable to avoid directing their flight. The certain consequence is, that in 

 striking against these ropes they become slightly entangled, and, in their endeavours to 

 disengage themselves, rarely escape being precipitated into the net spread underneath for 

 their reception, where their doom is inevitable. 



" But the net is still incomplete. It is necessary that our hunter should conceal her 

 grim visage from the game for which she lies in wait. She does not, therefore, station 

 herself upon the surface of her net, but in a small silken apartment constructed below it, 

 and completely hidden from view. ' In this corner,' to use the quaint translation of Pliny 

 by Philemon Holland, ' with what subtiltie does she retire, making semblance as though she 

 meant nothing less than that she doth, and as if she went about some other business ! nay, 

 how close lieth she, that it is impossible to see whether any one be wdthin or no !' But 

 thus removed to a distance from her net and entirely out of sight of it, how is she to 

 know when her prey is entrapped 1 For this difficulty our ingenious weaver has pro- 

 \ided. She has taken care to spin several threads from the edge of the net to that of her 

 hole, which at once inform her by their vibrations of the capture of a fly, and serve as a 

 bridge on which in an instant she can run to secure it." 



These webs, if let alone, are repeatedly enlarged till they are a foot or two wide, and 

 remain till they collect dust enough to tear them down by its weight. 



Many spiders that make cobwebs live under them, back downwards, an4 many are so 

 formed that they can hardly walk right side up. The webs of Theridion (Fig. 18), 

 usually have at some part a tent or thicker portion under which the spider stands, and 

 from this run irregularly simple threads, crossing each other in all directions and held in 

 place by threads above and below. Such loosely constructed webs are often made in 

 houses, in corners of rooms, under furniture and in cellars. The same spider occasionally 

 spins out of doors on fences, but never on plants. When it has caught an insect and tied 

 it up, it gradually hoists it up into its nest, sometimes a considerable distance. 



