SPIDERS. 339 



lets in one of its threads, calculated that it would 

 require four millions of them to be as thick as a hair 

 of his beard. 



Another important advantage derived by the spider 

 from the multiplicity of its threadlets is, that the 

 thread affords a much more secure attachment to a 

 wall, a branch of a tree, or any other object, than if 

 it were simple; for, upon pressing the spinneret 

 against the object, as spiders always do when they 

 fix a thread, the spinnerules are extended over an 

 area of some diameter, from every hair's breadth of 

 which a strand, as rope-makers term it, is extended 

 to compound the main cord. The following figure 

 exhibits this ingenious contrivance. 



Attached end of a Spider's thread, magnified. 



Those who may be curious to examine this con- 

 trivance will see it best when the line is attached 

 to any black object, for the threads, being whitish, are, 

 in other cases, not so easily perceived. 



Shooting op the Lines. 



It has long been considered a curious though a 

 difficult investigation, to determine in what manner 

 spiders, seeing that they are destitute of wings, trans- 



