148 



SCORPIONS, SPIDERS, AND TICKS 



li^G. 86. — Spinnerets of a spider. 



each spinneret are many small tubes 

 The substance of which the fine 

 is a fluid inside the spinnerets; but 

 to the air, it hardens and 

 forms the thread. In 

 wrapping its prey a spider 

 spins a band of silk which 

 is usually composed of 

 very many threads. 



Spiders spin this silk 

 for various purposes. 

 They make homes of it 

 in which to live, sacs of 

 it in which to put their 

 eggs, traps of it in which 

 to catch their prey, and, 

 finally, they use it as a 

 means of locomotion. 



Suspended from bushes 

 and weeds in autumn are 

 found egg sacs like the 

 one in Fig. 87. It is jug- 

 shaped and contains many Fig. 87 



The spinning organs 

 (Fig. 86), which are 

 near the posterior end 

 of the abdomen, on 

 the ventral side, con- 

 sist of four or six 

 finger-shaped projec- 

 tions, called spinner- 

 ets. On the end of 

 called spinning tubes, 

 silky thread is made 

 the moment it comes 



- Egg; sac of spider. 



