BIOLOGICAL MISCELLANY. 73 
* 
as shown in Fig. 50. It, however, hung partially by the radial supports 
attached to either end of the foundation line. I was fortunately on the 
spot when the accident occurred, and saw Trifolium issue in the most ex- 
cited manner from her leafy den among the oak bushes and rush across 
her ruptured foundation line. From one of her hind feet she held out a 
stout thread, which evidently had been instantaneously extruded. In some 
way, which was accomplished too rapidly for my eyes to take in 
the details thereof, she flung her body across the gap, and reached 
with her fore feet the opposite end of the sundered foundation 
line, to which she clung, while with the aforementioned thread and 
with other spinningwork flung rapidly from her spinnerets she spliced 
the break and thus restored the foundation line. During all this time she 
was swaying back and forth upon the thread, like a sailor upon a yard 
arm reefing sails in a heavy gale. 
The whole process struck me as exceedingly ingenious, and it was 
accomplished with such rapidity, without the slightest hesitation as to what 
ought to be done and the method of doing it, that I concluded that this 
experience was not a new one, but that Trifolium was quite well used to 
and thoroughly prepared for such emergencies. Her next step was to 
gather up the radial supports attached to the foundation line, and thus 
make good her orb for its intended uses. I could not stay to see the 
details of this action, but have no doubt that the web was entirely repaired 
and, after the subsidence of the wind, was as good as ever. It may be 
well, however, to say that the foundation line! is regarded as the most 
important part of a spider’s real estate. Given a foundation line there is 
no trouble, ordinarily, in swinging thereto a snare; but often spiders are 
sorely put to it to secure this, for which they are usually dependent upon 
the condition of the wind. It may, therefore, be that the rupture of the 
foundation line, in the case above described, was regarded as a capital 
accident, which called for special energy and prompt action. It is proba- 
ble that an ordinary rupture in any portion of the snare itself would have 
been regarded with indifference, and that Trifolium would have remained 
snugly ensconced within her domicile until the gale had overblown, and 
perhaps would have taken no notice of it at all. 
Of course, in considering this matter of repairing snares, the observer 
will distinguish between the comparatively ephemeral web of the Orb- 
weaver and the more permanent snare of the Tubeweaver. Such: 
spiders as Agalena nevia and Tegenaria medicinalis? build almost 
permanent abodes for their occupants. The tubular portion of 
the snare is their home, and the snare is rarely rebuilt, never 
indeed, I believe, unless it is completely destroyed. That these spiders do 
mend their webs I know, having observed the same. As they grow they 
Mending 
aFounda- 
tion Line, 
Patching 
Tube- 
weavers. 
‘See Vol. I., page 66. *See Vol. I, page 239, Fig, 221. 
