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NESTING HABITS AND PROTECTIVE ARCHITECTURE. 309 
in part, be seen upon the webs of our two large indigenous species of 
Argiope. On either side of the orb these spiders are in the habit of 
throwing out wings of crossed lines, which extend, as a rule, be- 
neath the lower margin of the hub upon which the spider ordi- 
narily hangs, thus securing industrial protection from every di- 
rection except from below, which point is guarded by the defensive organs 
and armor. In point of fact, Argiope thus encloses herself within a rude 
tent of straggling lines. These lines ward off assailants, or check or en- 
tangle them, and give warning of danger in time to escape. Their purpose 
is manifestly protective, since they are apparently too open to serve for 
catching prey, and otherwise do not seem adapted to that end. The Or- 
chard spider, Argyroepeira hortorum, resorts to the same mode of protec- 
tion, but, inasmuch as she makes a horizontal web and hangs upon the 
under part thereof, the protective apron is thrown beneath the orb, and 
thus secures the aranead against the approach of enemies from the ex- 
posed quarter. 
5. The central shield of thick spinningwork, which is found beneath 
the Banded and the Basket Argiope, may also be regarded as protective ; 
and it is probable that the thick scalloped and pointed ribbon decorations 
characteristic of the Banded Argiope and also of Uloborus, serve some pro- 
tective purpose besides the strengthening of the net. At least, it is the 
habit of the spider to place herself behind these screens, which thus pro- 
tect her from the exposed point, the shrubbery and other objects against 
which the snare is fastened being the protection from the other side. 
6. Another protective use of simple lines may be seen in the case of 
the Hunchback orbweayer, Epeira gibberosa, who makes a hammock tent, 
swung between leaves. She spins a series of straight lines quite thickly 
between the edges of a leaf, or several leaves, and hangs underneath them, 
communicating with her snare by the usual taut trapline. She is thus 
protected beneath and on all sides by her leafy site, and above by her 
hammock. 
7. In addition, and generally, it may be said that almost all the orb- 
weaving families will avail themselyes of any chance cavity or projection 
for temporary shelter or as a permanent site. Therein they hide them- 
selves, either with or without additional protection of spinningwork, and 
remain until appetite prompts them to spin their snares and place them- 
selyes upon them to procure food. In some cases, as with the Furrow 
spider, such a shelter is habitually preferred; a hole or depression, or even 
more frequently a dry curled leaf or bit of bark, being chosen. 
In point of fact, spiders appear to live continually in dread of enemies, 
and their whole life is spent in a defensive industrial warfare for the pro- 
tection of their persons, or in offensive war upon those insects which fur- 
nish them their natural food. In the former case they are habitually in 
hiding; in the latter, in ambush. 
Protect- 
ive Wings 
