The Life of the Spider 



itself a virtual diagram of its spiral. Acci- 

 dent, however fruitful in surprises we may 

 presume it to be, can never have taught it the 

 higher geometry wherein our own intelligence 

 at once goes astray, without a strict prelimi- 

 nary training. 



Are we to recognize a mere effect of 

 organic structure in the Epeira's art? We 

 readily think of the legs, which, endowed 

 with a very varying power of extension, might 

 serve as compasses. More or less bent, more 

 or less outstretched, they would mechanically 

 determine the angle whereat the spiral shall 

 intersect the radius ; they would maintain the 

 parallel of the chords in each sector. 



Certain objections arise to affirm that, in 

 this instance, the tool is not the sole regulator 

 of the work. Were the arrangment of the 

 thread determined by the length of the legs, 

 we should find the spiral volutes separated 

 more widely from one another in proportion 

 to the greater length of implement in the 

 spinstress. We see this in the Banded Epeira 

 and the Silky Epeira. The first has longer 

 limbs and spaces her cross-threads more 

 liberally than does the second, whose legs are 

 shorter. 



394 



