124 



AMERICAN Sl'IDEKS AND THEIR Sl'INNINGWOKK. 



Sexta's 



Death 



Record. 



an ampelopsis vine upon the outer wall of my manse. For several weeks 

 she hung in the normal position of her species, frequently changed her 

 web, and occupied herself in the usual manner of spiders. Dur- 

 ing cold weather that occurred in the early part of October, 

 1888, she appeared to be a little torpid, at least was decidedly 

 inactive. Throughout those days she would move her legs when 

 touched by my finger or by a vibrating tuning fork, but showed little 

 excitement. The last evidence of activity which she gave before passing 

 into a lethargic condition was to move slowly to one end of her snare 

 from the centre. The next day, October 4th, I found her with legs 

 doubled quite over certain lines of her web, and rigid. There appeared 

 to be a little life in her, but on the following morning, October 5th, she 

 was hanging in the same position dead. (See Fig. 361.) The axis of her 

 body was at right angles with the position in which the 

 spider usually hangs; that is to say, she was stretched 

 crosswise of her web. The limbs were all bent at the 

 middle joints, in the angles of which the linework was 

 looped. The spider appeared to be chiefly sustained in 

 this way, although some of the feet were still attached 

 to parts of the snare. 



I continue the description by extracts from my note 

 book : " October 6th. Sexta hangs in the same position. 

 October 7th. Ditto. October 8th. Certain lines in the 

 web have given way so that the fore part of the body 

 has dropped downward, causing the spider to hang now 

 in her natural position. (See Fig. 362.) The two pairs 

 of hind legs are stretched out to their utmost extent, and 

 the feet hold on mechanically to threads. The fore legs 

 are bunched and bent, as in the first position, with very 

 little change. The weight of the spider's body has evi- 

 dently drawn out the two hind legs by which she is sus- 

 tained. October 9th, 9 A. M. Sexta still hangs in the 

 above position. No change observable. A cold morning and clear. Octo- 

 ber 9th, 6 P. M. The position of Sexta is now changed. The left hind 

 leg is loose, the thread to which it held having been broken by the wind 

 or by a dropping leaf. The claw still holds to the line, a broken frag- 

 ment of which floats out from one side. The body has swayed quite over, 

 and the abdomen is twisted into a position at an angle nearly forty-five 

 degrees to the perpendicular. The other legs remain about the same, ex- 

 cept that the fore part of the body is swung upward and to one side. Its 

 weight is largely supported on the one outstretched hind leg." (See 

 Fig. 363.) 



From this date and up to October 22d, Sexta was observed every day, 

 morning and afternoon. Although high winds and heavy rains prevailed 



l"i. 362. Sexta in dying 

 attitude. 



