166 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
to preserve its perfect form. Perhaps he would rise from the study with 
a higher appreciation of the quality and character of despised Arachne. 
Nor would he find the creature herself unworthy of admiration as she 
hangs inverted within and just below the summit of the dome. The term 
beautiful is rarely associated with individuals of her order, but it 
may properly be used in this case. There is a combination of 
crimson, various shades of green, yellow, snow white, and black 
colors, which might prevent the most fastidious lady from raising the cry 
of “horrid spider!” against a creature bearing such delicate hues and 
dwelling in such a fairylike domicile. However, the main point of interest 
in the Basilica spider is neither its architectural skill nor its fair colors. 
Its chief importance to the arachnologist is that it seems to form a perfect 
connecting link between the orbweaying 
and lineweaying spiders, in the character- 
istic spinningwork of the two tribes. 
In order to perceive this statement it is 
necessary to recall what has been written in 
the last chapter about certain Orbweavers 
that make composite snares, as 
ACon- for example, Epeira labyrinthea 
necting 5 a i 
Title. and E. triaranea. ‘These species, 
it will be remembered, not only 
spin the typical orbweb of the tribe to 
which they belong, but combine therewith 
a mass of right lines intersecting one an- 
other in different planes and at various 
angles, the whole combination forming at 
once the home and snare of the animal. 
The maze is an exact retitelarian snare, as 
has already been shown, and will be readily 
recognized by any ordinary observer of the cobwebs, for the most part made 
by Theridioids, which form the bulk of those infesting the angles of the 
walls of our stables and outbuildings. Thus our first connecting link be- 
tween the spinningwork of Orbweayers and Lineweavers is established at the 
typical web of the latter, as shown in the snares of the family Theridioide. 
The second link, which itself constitutes in the web of the Basilica spider 
a complete interblending of the groups, is seen at the snares of the Linyphi- 
oide. The genus Linyphia is one of the largest and most impor- 
tant among the Lineweaving genera. In order to show the steps by 
‘which the two groups approach each other in habits, some expla- 
nation of the spinningwork of the Linyphians is necessary. Their web differs 
from that of the Theridioids substantially in the addition of a sheetlike 
web to the web of intersecting lines. Indeed, the lines take a subordinate 
or subsidiary place, and the sheet appears to be the real snare. There are 
The Arch- 
itect. 
Fie. 156. The bowl shaped web of Linyphia 
communis. 
Linked to 
Linyphia 
