644 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. NXVIIl. 
The hour of work is at hand, and the spider is isolated on a blade of grass stand- 
ing in a narrow stream. “ The first essentials are some foundation lines to serve 
as a framework for the snare. The spider begins. It climbs to the tip of the 
blade of grass ; it elevates its abdomen and from the spinnerets emits a silken 
filament to the vdnd. The light filament is wafted to the shore, becomes entang- 
led in another blade of grass, and the first foundation-line is in place. Backwards 
and forwards runs the spider along its line, adding each time a new filament, 
doubling, trebling, quadrupling the line until it is strong and sound. The first 
foundation-line is secure. For the second foundation-line the spider adopts a 
different procedure. It takes its stand about midway on the first line and sud- 
denly drops down suspended on a filament of silk. Perhaps it finds an attach- 
ment. If not, it climbs up again and drops down from another point. At length 
it meets a blade of grass and anchors its second line. By joining these points 
together with a filament of silk a triangle is formed of three foundation-lines, the 
simplest form of framework to support a geometrical snare. The spider 
reinforces these lines with additional filaments until it is satisfied with the strength 
of the scaffold. This is the first and elemental stage ; the construction of the 
foundation-lines. 
I now come to the second step in the architectme. A triangular framework 
is in position or if suitable connections can be found, a trapezoid figure is more 
to the spider’s choice. Whatever its shape, the spider next proceeds to construct 
the radii. These are the spokes of a wheel that diverge from a common centre 
to end at the foundation-lines. The spider constructs them with little trouble. 
It first runs a fine from side to side across the framework. Then, selecting a 
point on that line which will be the future centre of the snare, it carries a number 
of lines from that central point to the circumference of the snare. In this way 
it completes a series of radii, each equidistant from its adjoining radius. Each 
radius is in accurate position ; all diverge equally from the common point. 
The second stage is mathematicallj’’ complete. 
Now comes the third stage, the construction of a hub. The snare in its 
present state resembles a wheel. It has a centre, radiating spokes, and a rim 
formed of its foundation-lines. The spokes need some strengthening at the 
point where they leave the centre, the wheel requires a hub. This the spider 
proceeds to make. It winds five turns of a slender filament around and close 
to the central point, attaching the filament to every spoke. A hub is thus added 
to the wheel ; the spokes are bound together at their inner ends and the third 
stage is complete. 
The fourth step in the work is the formation of a temporary spiral. This adds 
a further strength to the snare, holding the radii still more firmly m place. The 
.spider takes four turns round the hub, stepping from radius to radius and attach- 
ing the filament every time it passes a spoke. A spiral of four turns, like the hair- 
spring of a watch, is thus wound about the centre. All the turns are parallel, 
all accurately placed. The work is perfect and precise. This is the fourth 
stage in the architecture, the construction of the temporary spiral. 
The spider now reaches the fifth and most important step in its work, the 
formation of the viscid spiral. It proceeds to the outer margin of its snare 
close to where a radius joins a foundgttion-liiiP. It now commences to wind 
another and much longer spiral round and round the snare, commencing at the 
circumference, working towards the centre and attachmg the spual at every 
spoke. To pass from radius to radius it uses the temporary spiral as a bridge. 
Now this viscid spiral is the vhai element of the snare. It is continuous in 
closely parallel lines from the circumference to the very centre. It is covered 
with a highly viscid fluid, while all the other lines, the radii, the hub, the 
temporary spiral are non -adherent to the touch. It is that part of the fabric 
that has the power of capture. The formation of the viscid spiral is a laborious 
task ; it occupies the spider more time than all the rest of the snare. It is a fir e 
