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252 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
If any emergency arise to require it, the spider can issue a jet of silk 
with such rapidity and of such volume that it is evident that strong mus- 
cular contraction has been used upon the silk glands, thus 
Swath- 
ing. 
forcing the liquid material from the spinning spools without 
any aid of the feet in drawing it out. That this is quite 
within the ability of Orbweavers I am perfectly satisfied by frequent 
observation of the action of Ar 
laris when taking a particularly 
hopper or locust, moth or blue 
During the action of swath 
that work, the spider takes care 
are joined together and fastened 
ing the orb from sagging or 
of the orb goes on instinctively 
of conquest and capture. Some 
the ends of the radii upon which 
the rapid motion of the spinner 
lines, but quite sufficient to main 
Ordinarily the swathed victim 
the jaws of the spider, who there 
position and sucks the 
giope cophinaria or Epeira insu- 
large insect, such as a grass- 
bottle fly. (Fig. 232.) 
ing, and without interrupting 
of the broken radii, so that they 
to the perfect ones, thus prevent- 
dropping apart. This protection 
in the very midst of the passion 
times it is necessary to bite out 
the fly is entangled. In that case 
ets closes the breach with irregular 
tain the tautness of the web. 
is carried to the hub or den in 
upon settles herself in the usual 
juices through the enveloping 
Lae é threads. In the mean while the aranead, if upon her 
a web, is sus pended by the spinnerets and 
hind feet, the 
and turn the carcass 
fangs are also used to 
by the feet or even 
The return to the 
fore feet being used to hold 
while it is being eaten. The 
clasp the victim as it is turned 
more frequently by the palps. 
hub or den with the cap- 
tured insect is occa sionally accomplished by 
swinging outward from "7%, Tuc sate move’ the point of capture upon 
the dragline which was carried after the spider 
when she rushed down upon her victim. Sometimes, instead of carrying 
the fly in the jaws, it will be fastened to the spinnerets by a short thread, 
and, thus burdened, the spider swings herself along, sometimes making one 
or two swings before she reaches her central point. 
The feeding is done leisurely, and the juices so thoroughly squeezed 
from the carcass and imbibed that, when the spider is done with it, it is a 
little blackened ball of dried matter. The white silken enswathment has 
entirely disappeared, probably having been sucked in with the juices of 
the fly. The banquet over, the carcass is snapped out of the web by a 
sharp movement of the head and jaws. 
I became much interested in the manner in which a nearly mature 
female Epeira vertebrata handled a moth which she had just captured. 
When the observation began, she was rolling the insect around as it hung 
Pe Te ee ee 
