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206 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
closely ; indeed, the viscidity of the beads was not only equal to that of 
Epeira, but greater than that of some species, as, for example, that of 
Labyrinthea. 
In order to haye separate and independent testimony to this fact, I 
requested my private secretary, Mr. Edwin 8. Gault, to examine the various 
points submitted, and give an impartial report upon the same; first, as to 
the snapping of the snare; second, as to the recovery of the trapline by 
pulling upon it; third, as to the character of the web itself, whether it 
was a round web, resembling the Orbweayers’; fourth, as to the character 
of the spiral, whether it was beaded or unbeaded; fifth, as to 
the manner in which insects were entangled upon the web, name- 
ly, whether they presented the appearance of having been caught in 
ordinary beaded snares of Epeira. In all these points 
Mr. Gault entirely corrobo rated my investigations. 
It may therefore be con sidered as established be- 
yond doubt that the snare of Theridiosoma gemmo- 
sum (or radiosum) as it appears in America is not 
only an orb of the character above de- 
Theridio- scribed, but is armed with viscid bead- 
ae “2 ed spirals. This fact alone, in view of the 
weaver, known relations between spinningwork and 
structure, would compel us to place it with 
the Orbweavers. But when ric. 200. Insect entanglea we find that the indica- 
tions of structure are quite gpe" Aiea) sufficiently in harmony 
with those of habit to jus tify such a decision, we 
can no longer hesitate. I may venture the prediction that a careful study 
of the spinning habit of the European species will show that it entirely 
conforms to that of its American congener. It is greatly to be desired 
that such a study be made. 
The Con- 
clusion. 
IV. 
The first specimens of the Ray spider taken by me were hung in large 
openings left between the breastwork stones of a ruined mill dam. The 
wall had crumbled and quite fallen away in places, leaving large 
cavities, within whose moist, cool shelter, among ferns and mosses, 
this species had domiciled. The brook poured over the middle 
part of the wall, making a pretty waterfall; briers, bushes, ferns, and various 
wood plants grew out of the wall and stretched over a deep pool twelve or 
fifteen feet in diameter, into which the water dropped. On the lower bushes 
and branches above the stream, and continually agitated by the splashing 
of the water, was a colony of Stilt spiders, Tetragnatha grallator, stretching 
their long legs along their round webs, and dancing with the motion of 
the waves; the beautiful nets of the Featherfoot Uloborus (Uloborus plu- 
mipes), nets of Tegenaria persica, Linyphia communis, Linyphia neophyta, 
Natural 
Habitat. 
