SOME LO\\^R ANIMALS 



249 



black spider, that may be seen running on the ground, on the 

 fences, or upon plants. It has a way of thrusting up the 

 abdomen and ejecting a thread of silk, which is carried along 

 by the wind. As the wind takes the thread, the spider spins 



Fig. 93. Dewy Web of an Orb Spider. 

 (The spider lives under one uf the lily leaves.) 



out more, and, when the thread is several feet in length, the 

 spider makes a little leap and sails off on its silken balloon. 

 Pick up some of these spiders, and on letting them crawl up to 

 the end of a pencil or the finger you may observe this per- 

 formance. 



At the rear of the abdomen is the spinneret, from which 



