. American spiders and their spinning work. A natural history of the orbweaving spiders of the United States, with special regard to their industry and habits. Spiders. •258 ANrKHICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. air being stronger there tlian close to the surface of the earth, and conse- quently affording much better facility for flight. The presence of a delib- erate and wise volition seems evident from the fact tliat the Lycosids are ground sjjiders, and not found habitually in such positions as the above. They had certainly mounted to the top of the fence with the settled pur- pose of t
. American spiders and their spinning work. A natural history of the orbweaving spiders of the United States, with special regard to their industry and habits. Spiders. •258 ANrKHICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. air being stronger there tlian close to the surface of the earth, and conse- quently affording much better facility for flight. The presence of a delib- erate and wise volition seems evident from the fact tliat the Lycosids are ground sjjiders, and not found habitually in such positions as the above. They had certainly mounted to the top of the fence with the settled pur- pose of taking advantage of the stronger breeze and better " send off" which the superior height afforded. At least, it was esisily determined that such an advantage did ensue from elevation. I selected some of the lower stalks of grass from which silken streamers were fluttering quite lazily. Close up to the stalk or blade I saw the spider placed back downward clasping the thread with its claws. Sometimes a thickened conical or flattened piece of silk marked this end of the line. When tliese grass stalks were broken off and lifted into the air the streamers fluttered out briskly and were soon snapped off, carrying the young araneads away with tliem. These experiments showed that the act of ascension is aided by eleva- tion, both in these cases and in those where the spider mounts directly from the perch. The young Lycosids had generally chosen the very tops of fence posts as points of ascent, and fortunately this site suited the observer's convenience as much as the spider's, and 1 could there- fore notice with comparative ease the methods of the miniature balloonists. The spider's first action was to turn its face in the direction from which the wind was blowing. Then the abdomen was elevated to an angle of about forty-five degrees, and at the same time the eight legs Posture ^ygj,j> stiffened, thus pushing the body upward. In order to per- mit this movement the claws w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectspiders, bookyear1889
