OF HARTING. 451 



straight lines radiating from a central point, and 

 crossed at regular intervals by other lines concen- 

 trically arranged, is so often seen stretched between 

 parallel bars of fences, or the branches of trees, with 

 the spider in the centre in an inverted position, that it 

 cannot have escaped the notice of the most indifferent 

 observer. But something more than a casual glance 

 at this beautiful structure, reveals the curious fact, that 

 the radiating lines are perfectly dry and comparatively 

 rigid, while the concentric lines, or cross bars, are very 

 elastic and thickly studded with minute globules of 

 viscid matter, which retains its fluid and adhesive pro- 

 perty, for any length of time, in the driest atmosphere 

 and the hottest sunshine. This secretion is sufficiently 

 tenacious to effectually arrest and entangle any moder- 

 ately sized insect on the wing, that may incautiously 

 come in contact with it, so that the analogous process 

 of liming twigs for the capture of birds, may possibly 

 have been suggested by the daily practice of this 

 spider. 



" For thus to man the voice of nature spake : 

 Go, from the creatures thy instruction take." * 



We meet with two other species of Epeira, Epeira 

 quadrata and Epeira scalaris, both very prettily 

 marked. The first is a larger spider than the diadem, 

 and makes its home in the furze bushes on East 

 Harting Down. It may be known by its beautiful 

 delicate-green abdomen, symmetrically ornamented 

 on the upper surface with white spots, four of which 

 are more conspicuous than the others. 



Among our other weaving spiders with which we are 

 acquainted, the Water Spider (Argyronetra aquatica) 

 is the most interesting. Our first specimen we well 

 recollect having found in early spring beneath an 

 empty valve of Anodon, in a watercourse communi- 

 cating with the Great Pond, and since then we have 

 fished out others in the same locality, in the South 

 Garden Ponds, in the Hurst Mill Pond and elsewhere, 



F F 2 



