587 



foundation of its snare. Since the above opinion was in press, 

 I have paid much attention to this point, both in the considera- 

 tion of the observations of others, as well as in observing many 

 snares of different species of Epeirids. I have not. indeed, yet 

 been able to observe one of these spiders in the act of laying the 

 foundation line of its snare, but I now come to the conclusion that 

 in many, perhaps in the majority of instances, lines for this 

 purpose are thrown across intervening spaces by the assistance of a 

 current of air. Mr. Blackwall's experiments ( Researches in 

 Zoology, Ed. I, p. 243, and also noted in the Report of the British 

 Association for 1844) shew the possibility of this mode, by its use 

 when the spider, desiring to escape from a spot to which it was 

 confined, used it after vainly trying every other means of escape. 

 Similar, though quite independent, experiments, very lately 

 made by Major F. H. Lang (of Parkstone, Dorset), had a liko 

 result. Mons. Leon Becker (of Brussels) has also recently 

 detailod (Ann. Ent. Soc, Belg., torn, xxii., 1879) at great length, 

 and in a very interesting way, other experiments of the same 

 nature and leading to the samo conclusion. The only observer 

 who (so far as I am aware) has actually witnossed the laying of 

 the foundation line of an Epoirid snaro is Mr. A. G. Butler (of 

 the British Museum). His observations (fully supporting the 

 current-carried line theory) are detailed in Science for All, part 

 18, p. 177, 1879. 



MODE OP ATTACHING THE VISCID GLOBULES. 



The studding of the lines of thoir snares, by some Epeirids, 

 with viscid globules intended to ontrap their prey, is montioned 

 at p. xx. (Introduction) and also at p. 236. Major F. H. Lang, 

 whose experiments are noticed above, has described a 

 method by which he beliovos theso globules are placed on the 

 cross-lines of Epeirid snares (Science Gossip, 1875, p. 53 J. The 

 globules are commonly supposed to have been formed by separate 

 aggregations, under molecular attraction, of the material of 

 which the line itself is composed, in which case they would be 

 homogeneous with the lino itself. Major Lang's observations, 



