. The world of animal life. Zoology. 382 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE harden when it comes in contact with the air. Days after it has been deposited, it remains just as sticky as ever. It is to these httle glutinous drops that an insect adheres when it flies against the net. The number of these sticky drops in a single web is almost incredible. A careful observer, who has paid much attention to the subject, tells us that in every inch of the spiral thread are no fewer than two hundred globules. Now, in an ordinary web of the common garden spider, the spiral thread upon an average is thirty-six fee
. The world of animal life. Zoology. 382 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE harden when it comes in contact with the air. Days after it has been deposited, it remains just as sticky as ever. It is to these httle glutinous drops that an insect adheres when it flies against the net. The number of these sticky drops in a single web is almost incredible. A careful observer, who has paid much attention to the subject, tells us that in every inch of the spiral thread are no fewer than two hundred globules. Now, in an ordinary web of the common garden spider, the spiral thread upon an average is thirty-six feet Spider's Vi^eb with drops of sticky matter ^'^ length. And SO, by a simple calculation, we find that in that single web there must be very nearly eighty-seven thousand of the tiny drops of gum! The spider itself can run about over its web without becoming entangled in it, while an insect which once touches it seldom suc- ceeds in breaking away. This is not altogether due, however, to the globules of sticky fluid; for the silken threads themselves are highly elastic, so that they yield as the insect struggles, and do not break. When a large insect is captured, the spider never allows it to struggle for long, for it knows by instinct that its victim may break away or damage the net. So, no sooner does a large insect fly against the net and begin to struggle, than it runs quickly to the spot and seizes the prisoner. If it is a wasp or a bee it does not attempt to touch it, but cuts three or four of the threads which hold it, and allows it to escape. As soon as the prisoner has flown away, the spider carefully repairs the damage, and then retires to its hiding-place to wait for another victim. Should the captive, however, be destitute of offensive weapons, the spider seizes it with its long legs, places the spinnerets for a moment against its body, and then begins to turn it rapidly round and round. As it does so it pours out silk, which now issues from. Please note that these im
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1910
