NESTING HABITS AND PROTECTIVE ARCHITECTURE. 
285 
i 
Among the Orbweavers the leaf rolling habit is perhaps most decided 
in the Insular spider. 
She invariably domiciles upon shrubs, bushes, and 
bushy trees, and commonly chooses a site within five to eight feet 
Spectacle of the ground. 
Spider’s 
Nest. above and gener 
and is a series of 
tied as at Fig. 254, or a sin 
as at Fig. 255. The form 
may perhaps be character 
The leaves have been pulled 
fastened together by cross 
ternal surfaces at the mar 
which the spider dwells is 
less thickly with silken 
at the summit of the dome, 
the abdomen rests, appar 
ray of threads adhering to 
The cluster-leaf nest 
of Fig. 256. This was made 
tall grass, whose 
Cluster 
Leaf Nest “@re 8° W pas to 
shaped or “ Lib 
figured. The lower and 
quite delicately spun of 
in place the graceful foli 
the crown of this dainty 
sconced, holding by the 
line which joined the snare 
Another nest (Fig. 255) 
rolled-leaf nest. It is a 
fastened at the 
the example giv 
between four and 
and wider end opened 
two-thirds of the distance 
tain (Fig. 257) stretching 
Rolled 
Leaf Nest 
along one side of the den. 
high, and one inch wide. 
the apical part of the abdomen. 
Fic. 255. Folded leaf nest of 
Epeira insularis. 
The curtain was 
Her tent is located always 
ally to one side of her snare, 
leaves drawn together and 
gle leaf rolled up and tied 
of nest shown at Fig. 254 
ized as the cluster-leaf nest. 
down at the free ends and 
threads drawn over the ex- 
gins. The concavity within 
frequently lined more or 
sheeting, which is heaviest 
against which the apex of 
ently secured thereto by a 
the spinnerets. 
sometimes takes the form 
in a clump of weeds and 
stalks, leaves, and blossoms 
gether as to form the helmet 
erty Cap” domicile here 
open part of the tent was 
lines that united and held 
age of the grasses. Within 
nest the spider was en- 
fore feet to the taut trap- 
at the hub. 
may be characterized as the 
large leaf folded over and 
edges by overlaid lines. In 
en (Fig. 255) the leaf was 
five inches long; the lower 
toward the snare. About 
within the tent was a cur- 
from the floor to the roof 
three-fourths of one inch 
Against this curtain the spider had pushed 
She was preying, when found, upon a 
hornet (Vespa maculata), a very good proof of her vigor. 
It sometimes happens that the single leaf within which the spider is 
nested will be stayed by lashings which unite it to an adjoining leaf, 
