SPIDER. 
517 
scribe the manner in which the house spider constructs 
its snare. When this creature intends to begin a web, 
she first chooses a place that has some recess, as the 
corner of a chamber, or a piece of furniture, into 
which she may retreat under her web, and secure 
herself a passage either upwards or downwards, and 
by these means accomplish her escape from any 
danger that may occur ; she sheds upon the wall a 
little drop of her gum, which immediately sticks to 
it. The spider then lets the liquor distil through a 
smaller orifice. Her thread lengthens in her rear, 
while she proceeds from one side as far as the place 
to which she designs to extend her web. The 
thread is fastened to one of her spurs, lest it should 
fix along the wall, whilst her intention is that it 
should only traverse the air. When she is arrived 
at the point to which she purposes to continue her 
web from the opposite side, she there fastens this 
first thread by the help of the glue ; and afterw ards 
draws it to her, first bending and then stretching 
it tight. Close by this thread she fixes another, 
which she carries forward by running along the 
first, and proceeds to glue the second thread on one 
side of the point where she began her work. The 
two first threads serve as a base to which she con- 
nects all the rest. In this manner she passes and 
repasses several times, connecting or separating her 
threads as she judges convenient. It is said that 
she forms several threads at once, and in order to 
keep them separated at an equal distance, without 
intermingling with each other, she distributes them 
