TABLE OF CONTENTS. 11 
PART IV.—UNBEADED ORBS AND SPRING SNARES. 
CHAPTER X. 
THE FEATHERFOOT SPIDER, ULOBORUS PLUMIPES. 
Distribution—Character of the Snare—Ribboned Decorations—Circular Decorations— 
Snares in Hollow Trees and Stumps—Webs Among the Laurel—No Viscid Beads— 
The Flocculent Spirals—Calamistrum and Cribellum—Position of the Snare—A 
aire t On Wen VON Mes Metc, ak rn, kita weasel ace ten alsa npn ee ER ae 172-179 
PAGES 
CHAPTER XI. 
THE TRIANGLE SPIDER AND ORB SECTOR. 
Hyptiotes cavatus—Her Favorite Site—Geographical Distribution—Construction of the 
Web—Making the Frame—Mode of Spinning the Spirals—The Radii—The Floccu- 
lent Spiral Thread—Using the Spring Net—The Coil of Slack Line—Springing the 
Snare—Securing the Prey—Feeding Habits—Muscular Rigidity ........ 180-194 
CHAPTER XII. 
THE RAY SPIDER AND HER SNARE: ACTINIC ORB. 
Name and Systematic Position—The Peculiar Snare—Bowing the Snare—How the 
Snare is Operated—Springing the Snare—Locking the Rays—Wear and Tear of the 
Web—Affinities with Hyptiotes—The Spirals are Viscid—Insects Entangled upon 
the Snare—Genesis of the Trapline—Both Trail and Telegraph—Multiplex Trap- 
lines—Natural Habitat of the Ray Spider—Distribution. ........... 195-207 
PART V.—MECHANICAL SKILL, INTELLIGENCE, AND 
EQUIPMENT. 
CHAPTER XIII. 
ENGINEERING SKILL OF SPIDERS. 
Geometric Arrangements Imperfect—A Wind swept Snare—Anthropomorphism—Counter- 
poising Webs—Zilla Leaf Counterpoise—Professor Parona’s Case—Meta’s Counter- 
poise—Special Adaptations—Swinging Sawdust Nest—How Labyrinthea Braces her 
Roof—Pitching a Leaf Tent—Alternate Apposition—The Trestlework of Therid- 
ium—Skill of the Speckled Tubeweaver, Agalena neevia—Dysdera’s Tubular Nest— 
AS MUCC TROIS HONAIO HMSO DG rk. treihs tua, Mice. ey; 3 ya Taps Som ee em enmerceees 208-228 
CHAPTER XIV. 
MECHANICAL STRENGTH OF WEBS AND PHYSICAL POWERS OF SPIDERS. 
Size of Orbwebs—Modified by Site—Modified by Weather—Structural Requirements— 
Strength of Snares—Webs that Entrap Birds—Argiope as a Bird Catcher—Endurance 
of an Orbweb—Physical Power of Spiders—A Spider Captures a Fish—A Snake En- 
snared by a Spider—Medicinal Spider's Snare—Theridium Captures a Mouse—Mr. 
Hopper’s Testimony—Hon. Proctor Knott’s Testimony—The Conclusion—The Inci- 
dent. Proved‘ TherAraneadElerome . .s6 ey wk ee we ee 229-246 
