The Lime-Snare 245 



thread stops suddenly at some distance from 

 the centre. There is here, covering a space 

 which, in the larger webs, is about equal to the 

 palm of one's hand, a fabric formed of spokes 

 and of the commencement of the auxiliary- 

 spiral, a neutral fabric in which the exploring 

 straw finds no adhesiveness anywhere. 



Here, on this central resting-fioor, and here 

 only, the Epeira takes her stand, waiting whole 

 days for the arrival of the game. However 

 close, however prolonged her contact with this 

 portion of the web, she runs no risk of sticking 

 to it, because the gummy coating is lacking, 

 as is the twisted and tubular structure, through- 

 out the length of the spokes and throughout 

 the extent of the auxiliary spiral. These pieces, 

 together with the rest of the framework, are 

 made of plain, straight, solid thread. 



But, when a victim is caught, sometimes right 

 at the edge of the web, the Spider has to rush 

 up quickly, to bind it and overcome its attempts 

 to free itself. She is walking then upon her 

 network ; and I do not find that she suffers the 

 least inconvenience. The lime-threads are not 

 even lifted by the movements of her legs. 



