The Spider 27 



There are many other species of spiders, each marked by some 

 peculiar feature or habit. 



It is also a curious fact that the spider more than any other 

 creature, except man, is able to discern change of weather. Thus 

 the "Aranea" spins a long line in wet and windy weather; and the 

 " Epeira," or garden spider, when beginning a new web, shortens 

 the main lines in doubtful weather. 



This same nervous susceptibility is shown by the " Segestia," a 

 small spider which lurks in the holes of our garden walls. This 

 creature stretches out six feet, each holding a thread communicating 

 with the web, and immediately a fly or knat touches the web, the 

 little spider springs out upon it. 



Thus we find that the spider in no wise merits that abhorrence 

 with which it is foolishly regarded, but rather engages our interest 

 and admiration by its wonderful powers and sagacity. 



At the close of the paper the President observed that there had 

 been various attempts to make the threads of spiders pi'actically 

 useful, and that gloves had even been spun of spiders' webs, of 

 which one pair actually exists. The attempt to utilize the spider's 

 web to any great extent has, however, been hitherto unsuccessful, 

 because of the impossibility of collecting the material in sufficient 

 quantities. 



Five or six hundred spiders were once collected for the purpose, 

 but the ferocity of these cannibalistic creatures is so great, that in 

 a very short time only a few survived, the rest having been devoured 

 by their fellow prisoners. The only two uses to which spider's 

 threads are now put are to form the dividing threads in astronomers' 

 telescopes — a purpose for which they are admirabl}' suited — and 

 occasionally to serve as a styptic for stopping the bleeding of a 

 wound, a purpose to which the dust of the puff-ball has often been 

 very usefully applied. 



Davidson gave a description of the nest of the Cteniza, or trap- 

 door spider, now said to be found chiefly in Corfu. The nest is 

 burrowed about an inch deep, and the orifice closed by a door so 

 as to be flush with the ground. The hinge is formed by some 

 extremely strong and elastic web, and the door shuts after the 

 creature by its own weight, the heavier side being opposite to the 

 hinge. The interior of the nest is lined with the same silky 

 substance as the hinge. He promised on some future occasion to 

 exhibit to the Society a nest which was in his possession. 



]\Ir. Hayward then exhibited and explained to the Society 

 Professor Maxwell's colour top. 



