THE SPIDER 91 



(2) When the eggs in the sac hatch, being bound up 

 tightly in the cocoon, the young spiders eat one another 

 until they are large enough to get out or unitl the mother 

 opens the cocoon for them. The young spiders grow rapidly 

 and molt often, until finally the adult form is reached. The 

 adult form hibernates during the winter under bark, logs, 

 or in other protected places. 



(3) Get a young spider, observe it closely and see how 

 it differs from the adult. Draw a dorsal view (X2). 



Classification. — Spiders belong to the class Arachnida. 

 This class is composed of the orders ticks and mites, scor- 

 pions, harvest spiders, and the spiders proper, Araneida. 

 This last mentioned order contains all our common spiders, 

 has about thirty-two families which are separated into gen- 

 era by the position and grouping of the eyes. 



Habits. — (i) Spiders are among the most interesting 

 of animals, and have been observed from ancient times. 

 The following experiments can easily be performed with 

 them. 



a. Get a large spider and put it under a tumbler. 



b. Place before it a lump of salt, then a lump of sugar, 

 then a piece of bread with vinegar on it. Observe its actions 

 in each case, then put before it a live fly and watch it. Do 

 you think the spider has taste or smell? Sound some mu- 

 sical instruments near it, and see if it gives signs of hear- 

 ing. Repeat these experiments on the following day. Can 

 it crawl out of the tumbler? Why? How does a spider 

 get to the ceiling of a house ? 



c. Throw a fly or some other insect into the web of a 

 spider and observe its method of entangling and winding 

 is securely. What does it do with it? What do you think 



