Marvels of the Universe 795 
filled in with an irregular network of branching and cross-lines. It suggests an advance upon the 
last-mentioned structure in the direction of the geometrical web, but quite deficient in the orderly 
neatness of the latter. It will be seen in the photograph that beneath the tent is spread a sort of 
floor of closely-woven tissue, as though to intercept any victims that, struggling to free themselves 
from the upper meshes, fall through into the tent. 
This sheet of tissue reminds us of the tough fabrics the House Spider is so fond of weaving in 
all sorts of corners of the house, and which appear as though specially designed to catch all the 
dust that may be floating around, and so to give an aspect of neglect and untidiness wherever the 
housemaid’s brush has failed to reach. The tidy housewife, when she gives expression to her 
annoyance, does not always realize that the friendly spider is trying to do her a good turn by keep- 
ing down the fly nuisance. It is upon such fare that she nourishes her great body and the long, 
bristly legs which give you such a “creepy ’”’ feeling when they run over you. Look carefully 
at that nest before you ruin it with the feather-broom, and you will see the artfully-contrived retreat 
in which the Spider waits concealed ready to pounce out and tie up her latest victim in such a 
thorough fashion that escape is impossible. That retreat is the “ parlour ’”’ immortalized in the 
nursery song. 
Somewhat similar arrangements will be seen in two of the webs figured in the full-page illus- 
tration. In one we have a wheel-shaped web with the spiral line cut out of a segment, in the centre 
of which a strengthened line runs from the middle of the web to a snug little retreat to one side, in 
which the Spider sits hidden, watching for the arrival of the first blundering insect. In the adjoining 
figure a tough web of fairly close texture is spread over grass, and at one side it is finished off as a 
Photo by] 
THE WEB OF THE GARDEN SPIDER. 
In this photograph the primary cables upon which the web is constructed and suspended are clearly shown; and by 
reference to it the method of construction is made plain. 
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