HOUSE SPIDERS 



215 



Concealed by the web, and lying usually in the angle 

 between the walls, is the retreat in which the spider lurks 

 while waiting for its prey. It forms a short tube, secured 

 by many threads both to the web and to the wall, and 

 open at both ends. When threatened, the spider can 

 leave its retreat by the further opening, and often has a 

 favourite crevice in which to hide itself. The tube is 

 both the home and the nest of the spider. Into this she 

 drags her prey, and here she rears her young. In June 

 or July, but occa- 

 sionally much earlier 

 in the year, the 

 female spider weaves 

 one or more cocoons 

 of fine white silk 

 nearly an inch across. 

 Each cocoon is 

 formed of two layers, 

 the upper arched up- 

 wards and the lower 

 downwards. Between 

 the two she places 

 about a hundred 

 yellow eggs. The 

 young spiders, when they appear, may often be seen 

 crowded together in one part of the cocoon, while the 

 empty shells from which they have escaped lie all around. 



The silk of which the web is composed is secreted by 

 innumerable glands, and paid out from spinners, which 

 project slightly from the hinder end of the body. In the 

 house spider there are three pairs of spinners, which are 

 jointed prominences, resembling stunted legs, and move- 

 able in all directions. While spinning, the spider rubs 

 the tips of the spinners together, and the thread issues 

 from between them. When the tip of one of the spinners 

 is examined by the microscope, a great number of spin- 

 nerets are seen, each mounted upon an enlarged base, 



FIG. 47. Spinning apparatus of Ciniflo, 

 with four pairs of spinners. 



