2IO The Life of the Spider 



Its object is to supply cross-bars, supporting 

 rungs, especially in the outer zone, where the 

 radii are too distant from one another to afford 

 a suitable groundwork. Its object is also to 

 guide the Epeira in the extremely delicate 

 business which she is now about to undertake. 



But, before that, one last task becomes 

 essential. The area occupied by the spokes is 

 very irregular, being marked out by the supports 

 of the branch, which are infinitely variable. 

 There are angular niches which, if skirted too 

 closely, would disturb the symmetry of the web 

 about to be constructed. The Epeira needs 

 an exact space wherein gradually to lay her 

 spiral thread. Moreover, she must not leave 

 any gaps through which her prey might find an 

 outlet. 



An expert in these matters, the Spider soon 

 knows the corners that have to be filled up. 

 With an alternating movement, first in this 

 direction, then in that, she lays, upon the 

 support of the radii, a thread that forms two 

 acute angles at the lateral boundaries of the 

 faulty part and describes a zigzag line not wholly 

 unlike the ornament known as the fret. 



