124 



GENERAL ZOOLOGY 



but only the true spiders are able to spin. In order to give 

 some idea of the daily life of a spider, the activities of the 

 common garden spider will now be considered. 



THE GARDEN SPIDER, Miranda aurantia Lucas 



Self -maintenance. The golden garden spider (Fig. 59) 

 spreads its beautiful orbs on low shrubs, bushes, or even 

 among tall grasses. These symmetrical webs are traps 



FIG. 59. Spiders. Orb weavers and cocoon; ground spider carrying its co- 

 coon; jumping spider; young individual ready to "balloon"; a tent weaver; a 

 wasp flying to its nest with a spider; crab-spider lurking in a flower. 



set to catch prey. Their building and maintenance re- 

 quire a great deal of work. . They are made from " spider- 

 web," or silk, which is elaborated by little glands within 

 the spider's abdomen and discharged through the six 

 finger-like spinnerets at the posterior end. The web is a 

 viscid fluid within the body, but hardens into threads on 



