SPIDERS AND THEIR SNARES 



829 



THE SNARE OF A GARDEN SPIDER. 



exposure to the air. The con- 

 centric threads are also of the 

 same plain structure when first 

 formed, but they do not harden 

 on contact with the atmosphere. 

 When the thread is drawn out, 

 the Spider gives it a sudden 

 tug and then lets go ; the 

 vibratory action thus produced 

 causes the formation of the 

 tiny globules, which are gener- 

 ally arranged alternately large 

 and small, as shown in the 

 illustration on page 830 ; some- 

 times, however, they are all of 

 one size, and at other times 

 more or less irregular. 



Although the Spider may not 

 be seen about her snare, she is 

 nevertheless always in prompt 

 telegraphic communication with 

 her complex trap. The moment 

 an unwary fly touches one of 

 the viscid threads, she imme- 

 diately appears from beneath a 

 leaf, or wherever she lay in 



hiding, and before the fly has 

 scarcely had time to reahse its 

 situation it finds itself confronted 

 with a ficndlike monster glaring at 

 it with eight bead-like eyes, while 

 Ix'low these are a pair of toothed 

 crushing jaws, each one temiinat- 

 ing in a sharp and curved poison 

 fang. A pair of large-jointed hairy 

 organs (palpi), one on either side, 

 add further terrors to this appal- 

 hng face (see illustration, p. 830), 

 as they wave and flourish apparently 

 with malignant glee while the at- 

 tack is made. 



Then the spinnerets are directed 

 towards the hapless victim, and 

 a moment later it is enveloped 

 in a shower of silken strands, 

 spun round and round on the 

 threads that hold it until at last 

 it is firmly secured — still alive — 

 in silken bonds. So the fly is 



THE SPIDERS DOOM -FROZEN AT HER POST. 



