CONSTRUCTION OF AX ORBWEB. 67 



traversed in passing from the top of one of the forks to a similar point on 

 the opposite one, presented comparatively few difficulties. But no attempt wa.s 

 made to carry the line around, and as the wind had evidently not changed 

 during the night, no web appeared on the tree in the morning. During 

 the next evening the same restless movement along the bare limbs of the 

 sapling was repeated, and was terminated at a late hour by a rare accident. 

 A large moth, attracted by the lantern, became entangled upon a single 

 short thread strung between two small twigs, whereupon Strix pounced 

 upon it, swathed and fell to feeding on it. Next morning a tiny orbweb 

 had been built around the shell of the moth at the point of capture. 



During both evenings this spider at frequent intervals poised herself 

 at the extremity of twigs, and emitted threads from her spinnerets which 



FIG. 63. Seeking attachment for foundation lines. 



entangled upon some of the short twigs, but never upon the opposite fork, 



as the wind was steadily contrary. No other entanglement was 



T ia "" secured, as there was no elevated object in the direction of the 



wind for a great distance. However, I could at any time obtain 



an entanglement upon my hand by arresting the thread. By imitating 



the motion of a swaying leaf or limb, the spider was caused to perceive the 



attachment, and immediately ventured upon the line. (See Fig. 63.) Once 



the thread fastened upon my face, and the animal was allowed to cross the 



line, a distance of four or five feet, until within a few inches of the face, 



when she took in the situation, instantly cut the line and swung downward 



and backward over the long arc, and, after a few oscillations, climbed up 



the line to the point of departure. Her willingness to use air currents for 



making transit lines was thus quite as manifest as her then inability to 



get a foundation thereby. The second spider exhibited a like behavior. 



4. The third individual, a male, did not attempt to spin an orb in the 

 former site; the wind was unfavorable, but there would not have been 

 much difficulty in carrying the cord around. He came out of his rolled 

 leaf den at 7.20 P. M., and for more than an hour labored to secure a web 

 foundation. He was located upon a dead end of a bough with many 



