LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 207 



been made extremely sensitive,) that it is thus 

 attached, it spins another thread, and fastens it 

 to the first ; then another, and another, and so 

 on, until a rope is formed strong enough to bear 

 the net. But, in trying its strength, she is not 

 satisfied with merely pulling at it with her feet, 

 but lowers herself by it, swinging and bobbing 

 about with the whole weight of her body. After 

 making several more ropes in the same manner, 

 for a frame work, she commences weaving the 

 net, beginning with the straight lines, which 

 may be called the spokes of the wheel. After 

 attaching these firmly to the supporting cords, 

 and stretching them so as to make them as tight 

 as possible, she pulls each one with her claw to 

 ascertain its strength, breaking any one that 

 may prove defective, and replacing it by an- 

 other. When this is done, she moves rapidly 

 round and round the net, spinning threads at 

 equal distances apart, and attaching them to the 

 spokes. The spider usually places herself in 

 the centre, and there watches for any fly or other 

 insect that may happen to fall into the net. 

 Sometimes she makes a nest under a leaf, or 

 some other shelter, into which she retreats on 



