154 INSECTS. 



Her outer work and radii being now completed, 

 she commenced at the centre, and tested each line by 

 pulling it with her feet. All appearing satisfactory, she 

 glued six or seven concenti-ic circles round the centre, 

 about one-thirtieth of an inch apart, then a few more 

 further apart. And now commenced the most wonder- 

 ful part of her workmanship. I fear I cannot well 

 describe it. The first concentric lines which she had 

 just completed appeared to be mainly as strengthening 

 stays to the spokes of her wheel. She then went to the 

 circumference, or rather where she intended to form the 

 outer line of her wheel. Here she fastened her thread to 

 one of the radii, and walked down it towards the centre 

 a sufBcient distance to allow the thread that came from 

 her to reach the next radius. This done, she stepped 

 across to it and glued her thread at the same distance 

 from the centre as the last, repeating this operation 

 until she had completed the circle. Her circumfer- 

 ence line was thus finished. Another, and another 

 concentric line was, in exactly the same manner, 

 passed round the radii, until she reached the first 

 lines which she had spun close round her centre 

 point. Her work was now finished, and taking up 

 her station in the centre of her web, she awaited her 

 prey. The wonderful accuracy she showed in judging 



