148 



SCORPIONS, Sl'IUERS, AND TICKS 



Fig. 86. 



^pinneret.s of a spider. 



The .spinning organs 

 (Fig. S(5), which are 

 near the posterior end 

 of the abdomen, on 

 the ventral side, con- 

 sist of four or six 

 finger-shaped projec- 

 tions, called spi7i?ier- 

 els. On the end of 



each spinneret are many small tubes called spinning tubes. 



The substance of which the fine silky tlu'ead is made 



is a fluid inside tlie spinnerets; but the moment it comes 



to tlie air, it hardens and 



forms the thread. In 



wrapping its prey a spi( ler 



spins a liand of silk which 



is usually c(jmp(.)sed of 



very many tlireads. 



Spiders spin tliis silk 



foi' vai'ious purp(jses. 



They make fiomes of it 



in wliicli to live, sacs of 



it in wliicli to ])ut their 



eggs, ti';ii)s of it in which 



(o catch tli(.'ir pre\', and. 



finally, tliey use it as 



means of Idcoiriotion. 

 Suspended from bushes 



and weeds in aiitutrm ai'e 



fomid egg sacs like the 



one in Fig. S7. Tt^ is jng- 



shapei 1 and (.'ontains many lu!. st, — L,;;g sac uf spider. 



