288 Habits of the Diadem Spider. 



the wood, and the lower end to the perpendicular line a little 

 short of its lowest insertion ; and now began another stage 

 of the work, when the lines which formed the diverging 

 series from the original corner of the wood were carried 

 out regularly to the outermost border, by which a considerable 

 degree of stability was given to the latter, and the whole 

 extent was completed. But the meshes still continued larger 

 than was intended ; and now began the labour of filling up 

 the vacant spaces. The commencement of this was where 

 they were largest, which was at the border ; and in doing this 

 he passed down along each cord, and from thence out on the 

 centrally diverging line to the required distance, at which 

 point the cord was glued ; and so on in succession for each 

 vacancy, until the meshes were fitted in something like 

 order, from the innermost to the outer. But in one instance, 

 where the angle formed by the wood was much larger, a dif- 

 ferent order was pursued, and instead of the angle itself be- 

 coming the apparent centre in which the diverging lines were 

 made to concentrate, this last point was formed not far from 

 the middle of the web, as it was also the most distant from 

 any solid support, as, from other instances, the most usual 

 practise ; and in accomplishing this a long single cord was 

 carried from this at first imaginary centre, to the wood, and 

 there the artist lay hid, watching for prey. This central line, 

 unconnected with any other but where the smallest meshes 

 were, had the double benefit of limiting vibration by strength- 

 ening the net, and also of conveying intelligence, whether of 

 danger or a prize. It was observed that in the course of a day, 

 and, perhaps, of less than half that time, the threads of the web 

 had become covered with dust, which rendered them con- 

 spicuous, and less glutinous; but in this case the web 

 presently disappeared, and as this was usually late in the 

 evening, I was not soon able to discover by what agency this 

 was effected; and indeed the chief part, if not all the work, 

 was carried on in the twihVht or after dark. But during the 

 day I was never able to discover any flies entangled in the web, 

 although it is probable that some very small creatures -were 

 caught ; and perhaps these were moths rather than diurnal in- 

 sects, since the season of activity with this spider is chiefly by 

 night. But that food of some kind had been provided .appeared 

 from the fact that, after a week, this little creature had grown 

 to about twice its former size. The only time in which I 

 observed this individual at work in open day was when its web 

 had been injured or destroyed by violence. But when the 

 cords were only inconvenienced by dust, which in the month 

 of June was blown about in considerable abundauee, the web 

 so soiled was suffered to continue until night, at which time, 

 about ten o'clock, the spider proceeded to gather up its net 



