PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 143 



well what his fate would be. He believed that the explanation given 

 was quite correct, and that not only were the spinnerets of varied 

 form, but the glands inside them were different in structure so as 

 to be able to produce different kinds of threads. The cross threads, it 

 might be observed, contained an axis of comparatively hard, dry thread, 

 which was exceedingly elastic, and the outside portion was glutinous, 

 like birdlime, and remained so for years. If the thread was stretched this 

 would be seen to be the case ; the gelatinous portion would break up 

 into beads. 



Mr. Beck said that it was' quite easy to examine the different 

 kinds of webs which were spun by a spider, and if they allowed the 

 spider to run out one of the glutinous thi-eads, they could observe the 

 formation of the web and the globules. He had had frequently to 

 use spiders' webs for the cross-lines of transit instruments, for 

 instance, and the kind used were not at all adhesive. Any one who 

 had watched a spider encasing his prey would have noticed how 

 entirely the web seemed to be under command, and that there appeared 

 to be a remarkable power of changing the character of the web at will. 

 The spinning-organs were very highly developed and would form a 

 very good subject for a monograph. 



Mr. Crisp referred to the researches of the Eev. H. C. McCook on 

 spiders' webs.* 



Dr. Matthews inquired how it was that the spider dropped or 

 divided his web without using his jaws, and how it was that he climbed 

 up his web, if it was composed of glutinous threads ? 



Mr. Beck said that a spider did not always use glutinous threads. 

 The radial lines of the web were not glutinous ; neither were those 

 which were used to tie the web fast to neighbouring objects ; but only 

 the transverse lines. 



Mr. Michael said that any one who watched a spider, would see 

 that he took great care not to put his foot on the transverse lines of 

 his web ; but that in running across it he always walked on the radial 

 lines only. 



Mr. Crisp said that in a letter to Mr. Mayall, Dr. Anthony had 

 anticipated Dr. Matthews' query as to the division of the web, and 

 proposed to show in a further communication on the spinnerets that 

 the spider did not use his jaws for the purpose, but that there was a 

 special apparatus at the end of the spinnerets. The diagram accom- 

 panying the letter illustrating this apparatus was enlarged upon the 

 black-board by Mr. Stewart. 



Mr. Badcock said he had brought some specimens of Lophopus 

 crystallinus to show what might be found in the depth of winter. A 

 pond in Epping Forest a few days ago had what looked like a mass 

 of fungi in the middle of it, and on examination it turned out to be an 

 immense quantity of Polyzoa. He thought that naturalists often 

 failed to find things because they did not look for them in the winter. 



* See this Jounial, ii. (1879) p. 559, and Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1881. 



