HORIZONTAL SNARES AND DOMED ORBS. 165 
snare had the composite structure imperfectly represented in Fig. 154. 
The general form of the snare was that of a pyramid the upper part of 
which, r, was a mass of right lines, knotted and looped and crossed in 
all directions. Within this mass was suspended an open silken dome, d d, 
constructed of a vast number of radii crossed at regular intervals by con- 
centrics after the manner of the common orbweaving spider. The radii 
were about one-sixteenth inch apart at the bottom or circumference of the 
dome. The concentrics extended entirely and with equal regu- 
larity to the summit. They did not cross the radii in circular 
lines, but presented that notched appearance which characterizes 
the notched zone in the ordinary webs of Orbitelarie. The meshes formed 
by the radii and spirals had thus much the shape of the meshes in a fish- 
erman’s net. The diameter of the dome was from seven to eight inches 
at the base, and the height nearly the same. It was suspended in the 
midst of the retitelarian lines by silken guys of 
like character, which thor oughly steadied the del- 
icate structure, and per fectly preserved its form. 
Beneath the dome, from two to three inches 
removed, was a light sheet of cobweb, ¢, irregularly 
meshed by wav ing and straight lines. 
The Cur- Tt had a decid ed convexity upward, and 
tained as ; 
Floor. 2s supported, like the dome above it, 
and of which it seemed to be a protecting 
curtain, by silken threads or guys, so stretched as 
exactly to meet this pur pose. This curtain may 
have been simply the col ,.. 155 dhe Basilica Jn lapsed remnant of an old 
web, which had been strip a, side view of body; c,ceph- ped downward, or aban- 
doned in order Yo con  “ouorex enlarged. struct a fresh snare above 
it. But it presented the appearance of a special structure, intended to 
serve a special purpose. 
Of the many specimens of spinningwork which I have studied, I have 
never seen one quite so beautiful as this. It was with real regret that such 
a rare piece of spider architecture was destroyed, after it had been sketched, 
in order that the architect, herself one of the most beautiful of her 
kind, might be collected for the cabinet. The species was named Epeira 
basilica. 
It would be an interesting study to the architect of human habitations, 
to uncover the principles upon which this silken basilica was reared. He 
would doubtless find admirable adaptation of means to ends; he 
would be likely to meet methods quite familiar to himself; and 
perhaps to stumble upon some of which he is yet ignorant. He 
certainly would haye occasion to marvel that a structure so stable could be 
wrought out of such fragile material as spider silk, and that the delicate 
dome could be so poised in the midst and by the help of silken threads as 
The 
Dome. 
Architec- 
ture. 
