WEB-SPINNER AT WORK 95 



her hind legs. Walking on the adjacent radius 

 with her head now toward the circumference, she 

 reaches a spot opposite the starting point. With 

 a skilful twist of the body, the spinnerets are 

 brought in touch with this line and the thread 

 fastened. Thus the first section of the spiral line 

 is stretched in position. This is the beginning of 

 the end. From now on the spider seems to fairly 

 gallop over the web, always walking on the radii 

 and the temporary spiral and gradually nearing the 

 center. 



The performance of laying the permanent spiral 

 is varied by two little bits of by-play. After lay- 

 ing this line perhaps one -fourth the way round 

 the outer rim, the spider turns and retraces her 

 steps, laying a line parallel to the first and con- 

 tinuing now in the opposite direction from that 

 taken in starting the spiral. No adequate expla- 

 nation for this has occurred to me. The second 

 bit of by-play, and to me one of the most inter- 

 esting acts of this little life drama, is the cutting 

 out of the temporary spiral line. As she passes 

 over a section of this line for the last time in 

 her progress toward the center, the spider seems 

 to realize that there is no further use for it. 

 Whereupon she reaches back, and snip ! There is 

 nothing left of what was once a most valuable path 

 but two delicate ends waving in the air for a mo- 

 ment but finally curling up against the radius or 

 disappearing altogether. Well might the orb- 

 weaver survey her finished work with satisfaction. 

 In its way it is perfect. 



