NESTING HABITS AND PROTECTIVE ARCHITECTURE. 



285 



I. 



Among the Orbweavers the leaf rolling habit is perhaps most decided 

 in the Insular spider. She invariably domiciles upon shrubs, bushes, and 

 bushy trees, and commonly chooses a site within five to eight feet 



Spectacle of the groun d. 



Spider's , 



XT above and gener 



Nest. 



and is a series of 



tied as at Fig. 254, or a sin 

 as at Fig. 255. The form 

 may perhaps be character 

 The leaves have been pulled 

 fastened together by cross 

 ternal surfaces at the mar 

 which the spider dwells is 

 less thickly with silken 

 at the summit of the dome, 

 the abdomen rests, appar 

 ray of threads adhering to 

 The cluster-leaf nest 

 of Fig. 256. This was made 



tall grass, whose 

 Cluster 



T f XT 4- were so woven to 

 Leaf Nest 



shaped or " Lib 

 figured. The lower and 

 quite delicately spun of 

 in place the graceful foli 

 the crown of this dainty 

 sconced, holding by the 

 line which joined the snare 

 Another nest (Fig. 255) 

 rolled-leaf nest. It is a 



fastened at the 

 Rolled ,1 , 



Leaf Nest the exam P le g lv 

 between four and 



and wider end opened 

 two-thirds of the distance 

 tain (Fig. 257) stretching 

 along one side of the den. 



FIG. 255. Folded leaf nest of 

 Epeira insularis. 



The curtain was 



high, and one inch wide. Against this curtain the spider had 

 the apical part of the abdomen. She was preying, when found, 



Her tent is located always 

 ally to one side of her snare, 

 leaves drawn together and 

 gle leaf rolled up and tied 

 of nest shown at Fig. 254 

 ized as the cluster-leaf nest, 

 down at the free ends and 

 threads drawn over the ex- 

 gins. The concavity within 

 frequently lined more or 

 sheeting, which is heaviest 

 against which the apex of 

 ently secured thereto by a 

 the spinnerets, 

 sometimes takes the form 

 in a clump of weeds and 

 stalks, leaves, and blossoms 

 gether as to form the helmet 

 erty Cap " domicile here 

 open part of the tent was 

 lines that united and held 

 age of the grasses. Within 

 nest the spider was en- 

 fore feet to the taut trap- 

 at the hub. 



may be characterized as the 

 large leaf folded over and 

 edges by overlaid lines. In 

 en (Fig. 255) the leaf was 

 five inches long ; the lower 

 toward the snare. About 

 within the tent was a cur- 

 from the floor to the roof 

 three-fourths of one inch 

 pushed 

 upon a 



hornet (Vespa maculata), a very good proof of her vigor. 



It sometimes happens that the single leaf within which the spider is 

 nested will be stayed by lashings which unite it to an adjoining leaf, 



