Habits of the Diadem Spider. 289 



from all its fastenings, and to convey the mass, within its legs, 

 to the spare side of the porch, where it was deposited, and the 

 little workman proceeded to form another. At first, from the 

 obscurity of the light, it could not be seen in what way this 

 soiled net had been removed, and the supposition had even 

 been hazarded that it had been all devoured ; but when a light 

 was directed towards him to ascertain the truth, with the aid 

 of a large magnifier, the little fellow ran off to his hiding-place. 

 His method of disposing of these materials was afterwards 

 discovered, but not without the exercise of much patience and 

 attention. But before the whole of the soiled materials had 

 been removed, some new cords were laid for the formation of 

 another web ; the arrangement not being exactly on the model 

 of the former, for the lines especially were longer, and it was 

 remarked that when the diverging cords were laid out very 

 long, they were strengthened at their extremities with addi- 

 tional moorings at the sides. 



The quantity of material employed in forming a new net 

 appears to be nearly as much as would constitute the bulk of 

 his body, and yet he has continued to renew it in twenty-four 

 hours for three or four days ; but at last, after two interruptions, 

 it was noticed that at ten o'clock at night he had not resumed 

 his work ; and on the following morning, although the new 

 web was complete, its dimensions were less, and the central 

 narrow meshes were more towards the side. The arrangement 

 therefore was altered ; but from the slackness of the work, and 

 the less activity in forming it, it was judged that the materials 

 within the body had become exhausted; and thus this little 

 industrious being was compelled to rest until nature should 

 provide for it a new supply. But another misfortune, and to 

 both of us, soon followed, in the work of one to whom the 

 existence of a spider's web appeared a reproach ; and on a day 

 of cleaning, in my absence, the whole was swept away, although 

 I have the gratification to believe my little acquaintance suf- 

 fered no further than in experiencing a change of residence. 



It was my fortune, however, to find that another of the 

 same species and size was at work in broad daylight, and that 

 too with a variation in the manner of proceeding which dis- 

 played a different turn of mind from the former, and in a new 

 degree a power to overcome difficulties. When first discovered 

 there existed a small portion of an old soiled web, and he 

 began with one that was carried to a larger extent, but he did 

 not disdain to join the new and beautiful fabric to this border 

 piece of perhaps some former workman; a scheme that I have 

 seen put forth in other instances by spiders of the largest 

 growth. On this occasion a brisk wind was blowing, and the 

 artist found it difficult to hold on to his thread from its shaking 

 in the wind. The piece of old web in particular shook much. 



