518 
SPIDER. 
into the teeth of the comb, which may be distinctly 
seen under each of the large nails on her paws. 
These threads are stretched and bound one after an- 
other with the same industry as the first. In this 
manner she finishes the horizontal range of threads, 
after which she begins to work transversely. In 
this proceeding the web of a spider differs from our 
weaver’s work, inasmuch as in our weaving the 
threads extended in length are interlaced with 
those that are carried on transversely ; whereas, the 
threads of a spider’s woof only cross the threads of 
the warp, and are glued to them in the points 
where they mutually touch, and are not inserted or 
interwoven. After this the spider doubles and 
trebles the threads that bordered her work, by open- 
ing all her dugs at once, and glueing several threads 
one over another. She is sensible that the extre- 
mity of the thread ought to be well secured to pre- 
serve it from being torn ; and in order to make the 
whole as steady as possible, and to prevent its being 
torn by the wind, she fixes all around it a number 
of strong loops, or double threads. 
The web, thus constructed, is a piece of mecha- 
nism which does great credit to the little artist, and 
cannot fail to raise our admiration of that Being 
who has enabled so insignificant an insect to per- 
form so exquisite a work. This however is not all ; 
conscious that an animal that lives by rapine, and 
spreads snares for its prey, would never succeed 
while she remained exposed on the edge of her own 
net, the same instinct which guided her before, now 
