74 LIVING CREATURES. 



In spinning, the hind foot holds and guides the 

 thread. The foot of Epeira, as the garden spider is 

 called, should be examined and understood. Each foot 

 has three claws, the middle one of which is bent over 

 for clinging to the web. The other 

 two have teeth like a comb, and in- 

 deed are used, in part, for cleansing 

 the limbs and webs. Over against 

 the claws are stiff hairs which are 

 also toothed, and which shut like a 

 thumb against the claws. 



The wonder of the spider is the 

 manufacture of her silk web. On the back of Epeira 

 are six points, each about the size of a pin's point. 

 These are her spinnerets. Each spinneret contains a 

 multitude of fine tubes some say a thousand from 

 each of which issues a sticky fluid made in the body 

 of the spider. This fluid hardens as soon as it feels 

 the air ; and the minute threads join to make a strong 

 cable. The six spinnerets may each make a separate 

 cable, or by bending toward one another may join all 

 into one. The spider's thread is not 

 more than a four-thousandth part of 

 an inch thick. 



Epeira chooses a place for her gos- 

 samer wheel where the ends may be 

 securely fastened, and where she may spinnerets 



make for herself a convenient den. 

 After throwing across the space a thread or two, she 

 carries out from the center several rays or spokes, mak- 

 ing each tight. She fastens a web to an object by sim- 

 ply touching the spinneret to the object. Having ar- 



