58 Descriptive Zoology. 



After this it begins at the center and proceeds spirally 

 outward ; but when this spiral web is completed it begins 

 once more at the outside, and takes up this spiral and 

 replaces it with a spiral spun in the reverse direction. It 

 bites off the first spiral, and, rolling it up into little balls, 

 drops them to the ground, hence it was formerly supposed 

 to eat the web. The web is not placed quite vertically, 



FIG. 42. HEAD AND MANDIBLES OF COMMON GARDEN SPIDER. 



The spots above are eyes. 



and the spider hangs on the under side, so that when a fly 

 is caught it can run to a point over it and drop down and 

 quickly catch it. It is usually the female that is on the 

 web, while the male may be hidden near by. The male is 

 sometimes much smaller than the female and generally 

 brighter-colored. 



We have often wondered how it is that on some bright, 

 warm summer days there is so much spider web, or 

 "gossamer," floating in the air. This is mostly formed by 

 small spiders. They climb up on a fence or stump, or 

 other place where there is an up current of air, caused by 

 the heat of the sun. Standing with the tip of the abdomen 

 pointing upward a thread is started ; the current carries it 

 upward as it is formed, and after awhile the current bears 

 up, not only the thread, but the thread maker, the spider 

 itself, and they may often be seen by the hundreds float- 

 ing along, so many tiny, unpatented airships. 



