20 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
material. While cutting away the viscid spirals, the portions of the snare 
above or below had to be looked after lest the orb should collapse by the 
sundering of the supporting radii. This, however, was adroitly managed 
as in the case of cutting out entangled insects, fhe inevitable dragline 
being used to splice and stay from the spinnerets while the spider cut 
away with the fangs. 
When the two leaves and two twigs had been cleared away, a vacant 
section was left in the web of about one-fifth the whole. At this point 
my observation ceased, and I cannot say whether the spider built a new 
orb immediately, clearing away all the rest, or patched the damaged section. 
On the following morning, however, she was resting within her nest, holding 
to a trapline attached to a perfect orb, on which were no traces of mending. 
A female Epeira sclopetaria was observed clearing off a lot of straggling 
threads stretched across a window, ‘These were gathered up with the 
second and third pairs of legs principally, which, aided by the 
Scraps of palps, drew them towards the mouth, into which the spider put 
Web Se he ‘ : : 
Faten. them. This is a common way of disposing of ragged bits and 
fragments of spinningwork, which no doubt yield some nour- 
ishment that may again be transformed into webs. 
According to Mrs. Treat, the Turret spider is a neat housekeeper. She 
leaves no debris in her cellar under the tower. The remains of insects 
are thrown from the top in the same manner that she throws 
Penalty excavated pellets. The Tiger spider, on the contrary, always 
of Un- ; 5 ; ; 
aie now. leaves the skeletons of insects in the bottom of its tube, which 
in time makes a rich black mould. As the result of this, the 
occupant is often driven from its room by a great mushroom starting from 
the bottom of the burrow upward and completely demolishing it, forcing 
the tenant to seek new quarters. Such a catastrophe never happens to the 
neater tower builder.* 
The advantages of cleanliness are certainly thus remarkably illustrated, 
and a sufficient reason given why, for the most part, spiders are careful to 
carry from their dens and snares the debris of insects eaten by them. This 
is not the universal rule, however, as other species besides Lycosa tigrina 
will sometimes overspin the remains of their feasts, entirely covering over 
with spinningwork the hard chitinous portions which are rejected. Nor 
does this act always result in such a calamity as that above recorded. 
The Turret spider, after working upon her tower or in her burrow for 
an hour or more, is apt to stop and assume her favorite position, seated 
across the top of her tower, in order to make her toilet. First one leg 
and then another is passed between the palps several times, and all the 
while her mandibles are at work as if chewing, the moisture meanwhile 
working up between them. 
1 Home Studies in Nature. 
