Appendix 



THE GEOMETRY OF THE EPEIRA'S WEB 



I FIND myself confronted with a subject which 

 is not only highly interesting, but somewhat 

 difficult : not that the subject is obscure ; but 

 it presupposes in the reader a certain knowledge 

 of geometry : a strong meat too often neglected. 

 I am not addressing geometricians, who are 

 generally indifferent to questions of instinct, 

 nor entomological collectors, who, as such, 

 take no interest in mathematical theorems ; 

 I write for any one with sufficient intelligence 

 to enjoy the lessons which the insect teaches. 



What am I to do ? To suppress this chapter 

 were to leave out the most remarkable instance 

 of Spider industry ; to treat it as it should be 

 treated, that is to say, with the whole armoury 

 of scientific formulae, would be out of place in 

 these modest pages. Let us take a middle 

 course, avoiding both abstruse truths and 

 complete ignorance. 



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