106 MR. H. W. KEW ON THE 
of wood and the glass. In such a nest the wood formed the 
foundation for the floor and the glass that for the roof, the 
built part consisting of a circular wall extending from one to 
the other. Here one could see something, not only of the 
making of the framework of the wall, but also of the subsequent 
spinning, which iatter was obscured in nests of the former 
character. The general proceedings of the animal were easily 
observed; but it was less easy to make sure of the precise 
character of the spinning, the task of following moving organs 
under the magnification required being, even in the most favour- 
able conditions, somewhat difficult. However, it was seen that 
the silk proceeded from the distal part of the galee—there was 
no doubt that it issued from the tips of the little branches there 
situated —whence it was drawn as separate, highly viscid, very fine 
threads. These threads, several from each galea, either remained 
separate or coalesced into stouter ones, al] those from each galea 
sometimes going to form a single thread. The spinning involved 
small continuous forward and backward movements of the body, 
such movements being derived from the joints of the legs without 
necessary replacement of thefeet. The small forward movements 
brought the galez into contact with the objects to which silk was 
being applied, or with the tissue which was being augmented, and 
from attachments thus made threads were drawn out during the 
small backward movements, at which time also there were lateral 
movements of the chelicerz, the galea-bearing fingers being swung 
widely open. These small movements of the body, moreover, 
brought the chelicere, not always to the same spot, but sometimes 
a little above or a little below, or a little to the right or to the 
left; and the cheliceree themselves, it may be explained, are 
much more mobile than might be supposed, being capable of con- 
siderable extension both forwards and laterally. While making 
the framework the animal was seen to bring the cheliceree into 
contact with the glass and by small rapid movements to brush on 
minute confused attachments of separate threads. During this 
part of the work the creature moved about freely, and the threads 
thus attached, usually coalescing into one from each galea, were 
earried from place to place, from roof to floor, or from either of 
these to the inner surfaces of collected fragments, or from one 
fragment to another, The threads coalesced at various distances 
from the gale and not all of them at the same point, and since 
they fused at once either before or after coalescing with other 
threads or with whatever object they came in contact, the 
irregular meshwork soon resulted. As the animal continued 
to work the meshes became closer and closer, till little by little 
they were filled in. At the same time the animal laboured to 
cover the floor and roof with silk. At frequent intervals, often 
throwing back the palps along by its sides, it settled down 
to long-continued spinning; and at such times it maintained 
for hours the continuous movements of the body and of the 
cheliceree already mentioned. By this means silk was rapidly 
