176 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
Uloborus mammeatus in Texas. They formed interesting and beautiful ex- 
amples of this character of spinningwork, which is more easily illustrated 
than described. Fig. 163 represents one web. The upper ribbons, travers- 
ing nearly the entire area of the hub, were very much the same as the 
last described, except that on one side the spinningwork was greatly 
thickened at the termination, giving a club shaped appearance. On each 
of the other sides of the hub were thrown two parallel semicircular bands 
slightly separated from each other. In another snare, represented very im- 
perfectly, indeed, at Fig. 164, the longitudinal bands were lacking, but in- 
stead of them a series of four or five circular bands encompassed the hub. 
My sketches, taken upon the spot, do not show that these bands were con- 
centrics, though I have been inclined to think that such might have been 
the case. At one side of this orb was stretched a ladder like structure lead- 
ing from the hub to the outer foundation lines. This was a very peculiar 
Fic, 168. Decorated orb of Uloborus mammeatus. 
formation, and reminded me somewhat of the zigzag band characteristic of 
Argiope cophinaria, but the rounds were not continuous as with that spider. 
The purpose of these ribbons I have never been able to determine 
satisfactorily. I have called them decorative, not because I imagine 
that the purpose of the spider in placing them upon her 
Use of web is in anywise analogous to the human sentiment ex- 
Decora- “iF : ; 
rates pressed by that word, but simply as a convenient term to in- 
dicate the character of the spinningwork as it presented itself to 
_my own mind. Certainly it did greatly enhance the beauty of the deli- 
cate structure. It is probable that these decorative ribbons or bands serve 
to protect the spider herself, and may also be of service in strengthening 
the web. But I have sufficiently expressed my opinion on this subject 
when treating of the snare of Argiope. (Chapter VI.) 
No one who has studied with any care the spinningwork of the Orbi- 
telarie can doubt that the web of Uloborus is that of a genuine Orb- 
weaver. In its round shape; in the arrangement of lines radiating from 
