228 The Life of the Spider 



and the Silky Epeira, have still to sign their work. 

 A broad, white ribbon is laid, in a thick zigzag, 

 from the centre to the lower edge of the orb. 

 Sometimes, but not always, a second band of the 

 same shape and of lesser length occupies the 

 upper portion, opposite the first. 



I like to look upon these odd flourishes as 

 consolidating-gear. To begin with, the young 

 Epeirae never use them. For the moment, 

 heedless of the future and lavish of their silk, 

 they remake their web nightly, even though it 

 be none too much dilapidated and might well 

 serve again. A brand-new snare at sunset is 

 the rule with them. And there is little need for 

 increased solidity when the work has to be done 

 again on the morrow. 



On the other hand, in the late autumn, the 

 full-grown Spiders, feeling laying- time at hand, 

 are driven to practise economy, in view of the 

 great expenditure of silk required for the egg- 

 bag. Owing to its large size, the net now 

 becomes a costly work which it were well to use 

 as long as possible, for fear of finding one's 

 reserves exhausted when the time comes for the 

 expensive construction of the nest. For this 



