ere Pete A Ot! SS oe 
188 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
the radii was also very large. The space between the several radii, meas- 
ured at the termination of the spiral space, was about equal in all to one 
and seven-eighths inches. Across 
the snare at the beginning of the 
spiral space the distance was one- 
half inch in all. 
When the web is completed, 
thesspider takes a position upon 
the trapline, sometimes 
very close to the apex, 
but more frequently 
removed from it by a varying 
space. Sometimes she is close 
F1G.179. Position of Hyptiotes on her trapline,T. The coil, to the apex, at other times well 
cl, is shown in the upper figure, and at sl in the lower. removed therefrom : sometimes 
she hangs upon the line between the apex and the branch to which the 
line is suspended, and again is found close up to the branch, even rest- 
ing her abdomen against it. 
Position 
of Spider 
ie 
The position of the spider upon her trapline is very peculiar, and 
worthy of careful study, for it gives a clue to the curious phenomenon 
: which is now to be described. Her face and fore feet are 
Using the towards her triangular snare. The trapline is held within the 
Spring first two pairs of claws, which are placed near each other (5 
Net, pairs claws, which are placed near each other (see 
Fig. 179, upper figure), and is drawn so tightly that every por- 
tion of the wedge shaped 
web is perfectly taut, as rep- 
resented in Fig. 180. Upon 
applying the lens to the 
spider as she thus hangs 
with back downward, it will 
be seen that between the 
second pair of legs and the 
third pair of legs, the line 
is also taut. This is its 
condition according to most 
of my observations, but it 
seems that sometimes it is 
slightly slackened, as shown 
in the lower figure in the cut. (Fig. 179.) Carrying the lens along to 
the short third pair of legs we see that they are bent at the knee, and the 
claws approach each other at the trapline, which they firmly clasp. Glanc- 
ing at the fourth or hind pair of legs, it is observed that these are stretched 
Fic. 180. Hyptiotes’ snare drawn taut. 
