THE SPIDER. 121 



Plan of concealment in the webs. 



to them in the points where they mutually touch, 

 and are not either interserted or interwoven. 

 The threads along the border of the work are 

 doubled or trebled, by the spider's opening all 

 her teats at once, and gluing several threads over 

 one another, sensible that the extremity of the 

 web ought to be hemmed and fortified to pre- 

 serve it from being torn : she likewise further 

 secures and supports it with strong loops, or 

 double threads, which she fixes all around it, and 

 which hinder it from being the sport of the 

 winds. From time to time she finds it necessary 

 to clear away the dust, which would otherwise 

 incommode her web, and she sweeps the whole 

 by giving it a shake with her paw; but in doing 

 this she no nicely proportions the force of the 

 blow to the strength of the work that nothing is 

 ever broken. From all parts of the web are 

 drawn several threads, which terminate like rays 

 in a centre at the place of her concealment. The 

 vibration of any of these threads is communi- 

 cated to her, and gives her notice whenever there 

 is game in the net, and accordingly she springs 

 upon it in an instant. She derives another ad- 

 vantage from this retreat under her web, and 

 that is, the opportunity it affords of feasting on 

 her prey in full security; and besides this it gives 

 her the power of concealing the carcases, and 

 not leaving in the purlieus any traces of her bar- 

 barity capable of intimating the place of her re- 

 VOL. vi. NO. 41. Q 



