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124 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
and of the orb within the triangular foundation lines. The other details 
are only approximately accurate. 
My notes do not show the complete form of the web, but Mrs. Eigen- 
mann’s observations abundantly establish the fact that the orb of Gaster- 
acantha has the notched zone and free space as is the case with the webs 
of Epeira, which it closely resembles. None of the California webs, how- 
ever, had anything like the tufted decorations which I observed in the 
Texas individual. Whether or not other examples in the same vicinity 
exhibit the peculiarity which I have described I am not able to say.? 
The interest in the problem here presented is much increased, although 
the problem itself is brought little nearer solution, by facts concerning the 
snares of this genus recorded by M. Vinson.? He observed the 
African same characteristic noticed by me in the Texas example, in the 
Species : j j i 
Tufted, Webs of Gasteracantha bourbonica of certain African islands. 
This spider spins a vertical web a metre or more in diameter. 
The snare is often suspended across the path in forests. The threads are 
different from those of other spiders; they show little cottony tufts (ren- 
flements cottoneux) distributed at intervals, but quite nearly approached. 
The spider hangs at the centre. She is active when she moves; but when 
one touches her she throws herself from her place, holding on by her 
thread, by the ‘aid of which she is able to replace herself upon her snare. 
In another part of his book M. Vinson records the same observation 
in this language: The Gasteracanthe of the Isle of Réunion introduce 
into the variously stretched lines [foundation lines], in the midst of which 
they establish their regular nets, a finishing-up (“confection”) altogether 
special. As these lines are isolated, quite separated one from another, 
they are differently wrought from those of the interior net, and show at 
short intervals little cottony puffs (“renflements”) which cause them to 
appear as though interrupted from point to point. These puffs give the 
web, of necessity, very great strength and elasticity.* 
The same author, however, introduces another observation upon this 
species, which brings us face to face with the same curious diversity, if 
not divergence, in the habit which I have shown in the Gas- 
Webs teracanthe of our country. M. Vinson declares that the Gas- 
ti ets teracanthe of Madagascar, which are both larger and more 
numerous than those of Réunion, do not follow the custom of 
decorating their webs with cottony tufts as do those of the last named is- 
land, but spin their vertical snares in a manner altogether similar to those 
of the common Epeira. ? 
1Ag I was at the time intent upon the study of the natural history of the agricultural 
- ants, I was compelled, often at great sacrifice of my feelings, to resist the attractions every- 
where around me to observe and seek out the habits of the spider fauna. 
2 Araneides de la Réunion, Maurice, et Madagascar, page 238. 
3 Op. cit., Introduction, page xvii. 
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