476 THE HABITS OF SPIDERS. 
know of. But in its original state, a skin of ordinary size 
is easily torn into strips. When dressed, the fibres being 
loose, come gradually into parallelism, and the tension is 
resisted by many at once. Previously, held to its place by 
the gluten, each fibre, acting singly, was readily broken. 
Here is a problem for hunters. With a single bullet, to 
shoot a deer through the heart and break both fore legs, one 
of them just above the foot. It has been solved. But how? 

THE HABITS OF SPIDERS. 
BY J. H. EMERTON. 

Every reader of the Narurazist has noticed the round, 
regularly formed spider-webs which often adorn the corners 
of fences, and the windows of neglected buildings; but few, 
perhaps, have had time or patience to watch the skilful man- 
ner in which they are constructed, or to examine the appa- 
ratus by which the spider spins the thread out of her one 
body. The builders of these webs belong to a large family 
of spiders, the Epéiride. They are found in all parts of the 
world where winged insects, which form their food, abound. 
To illustrate the habits and structure of these spiders, W° 
will select one common species as a representative of the 
whole group, and confine our observations to it. This spe 
cies, the Hpéira vulgaris of Hentz, seems to be common all 
over the United States, and is represented by closely re 
species in other countries. It is seldom found in the W i 
and fields, but lives in great numbers on garden fences a0 
trellises; in barns, and on the framework of bridges; the 
structure of which affords numerous crevices for shelter aM 
concealment. When fully grown it is half an inch in leng 
and its feet, when extended, will cover a circle an mM 
a half in diameter. It is clothed with hair of a oT a 
Jated d 
oods 
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