[ £.i'2 j 



XLV. Oil the Crossing Spider. By R. Tekk, Esc}. 

 To Mr. Tilloch. 



SIR, Lancaster Court, Strand, 



X OUR ingenious correspondent, signeJ Lehmarin, (Priil. 

 Mag. vol. ii. p. 320,) having given an interesting, and in 

 njy opiiiiun the host account ot" the crossing spider (Aranea 

 Diadenia), induced nie not long ago to examine more 

 minutely the wonderful sagacity and contrivance ol that 

 curious insect : and as the experiment I made is simple, and 

 can he repeated hy any person inclined to ascertain the fact, 

 (to uhoni I will promise much pleasure irom the result,) 

 I shall dcscrihe as briefly as possible the method I pursued 

 to obtain the most ample satisfaction. In the month ot 

 September last as I was one evening amusiiig myself in my 

 trardeu at Kentish-Town, just as the sun was setting, I 

 observed a large crossing spider in the centre of his web, 

 watching for the unwary fly who should chance to be en- 

 tangled in it. I took him from his post on a small stick, 

 and, suspending the insect between myself and tiiat bright 

 luminary, I observed that he let himself down to the distance 

 of about one yard ; which was no sooner done, than I saw 

 the thread by w hich he was suspended, in a moment divide 

 or split into five or six lengths of a smaller size, and nearly 

 half a yard long. A gentle breeze at that instant blowing to- 

 v.-ards the setting sun, and consequently from me, I was 

 enabled to see more distincily the very wonderful and sur- 

 prising operation ; for the end of one of the threads 

 nearest the stick, being at liberty, was blown by the wind 

 until they were all unfolded to some distance; and being 

 slopped by a tree, the spider, who appeared perfectly ac- 

 quainted with the busincs, felt with one of his hinder legs 

 that it had laid hold of something. I soon perceived his 

 object; I extended the stick, and thereby tightened the 

 thread : this being known to the spider, he crossed from 

 the slick to the tree with the greatest alacrity. I was then 

 convinced how easy it is for these insects to transport th.em- 



selves 



