THE MAKERS OF GOSSAMER 



range of vision, but this is hardly likely to be the true 

 explanation because, in the first place, the eminences 

 often exist quite apart from the eyes, and, even when 

 any of the eyes are actually placed upon the raised 

 portion, those which are thus elevated are, as a rule* 

 of imperfect structure. The variety in the form of 

 these prominences is remarkable, and the appearance 

 presented by the spiders is often really ludicrous- 

 They are, indeed, the gnomes of spiderland, and the 

 designer of goblin masks for the Christmas panto- 

 mimes might well obtain original ideas from the quaint 

 forms of these little creatures. Curiously enough, the 

 strangely formed heads are almost peculiar to the males. 

 Nearly a thousand species have been described, and 

 we have considerably more than a hundred in this 

 country : but practically nothing is known of them 

 except by a few experts. Let us tear up a few tufts 

 of grass by the roots from the bottom of these railings 

 and beat them upon this sheet of newspaper. Do you 

 see those small brown objects scampering towards the 

 edge of the paper ? They, also, are Erigones, as the 

 ''' big-heads " are scientifically termed. The grass in 

 this place absolutely swarms with them, and yet in a 

 similar situation a few yards away you might have 

 difficulty in finding more than a few stray specimens. 

 They seem to be quite fastidious in their selection of 

 a dwelling-place ; and although the expert collector 



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