. 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. THE GENESIS OF SNARES. 339 Frag- ments. this use of the trapline, or the similar use of the foothnes, aids in entang- ling insects, I can very well believe that it may frequently contribute more or less to this result. This may be done either by the mechanical momen- tum of the lines which are swung around the insect by the sudden tighten- ing and releasing thereof; or by exciting the insect and causing it to move its wings and
. 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. THE GENESIS OF SNARES. 339 Frag- ments. this use of the trapline, or the similar use of the foothnes, aids in entang- ling insects, I can very well believe that it may frequently contribute more or less to this result. This may be done either by the mechanical momen- tum of the lines which are swung around the insect by the sudden tighten- ing and releasing thereof; or by exciting the insect and causing it to move its wings and legs, thus entangling it more and more within the viscid spirals. A young Epeira domiciliorum well illustrated the general tendency in this direction when under special compulsion of circumstances in the cap- . ^^^^ of W^y- When observed, her web had been badly damaged mu^zmgr ]^y insects. At the sides all the spiral lines had disappeared, and a few patched radii alone remained. On the upper part of the orb were a few spirals. A segment remained in tolerable condition on the lower part of the snare, but it also was greatly damaged by the fracture of some of the radii. The spider had spun a number of lines from the hub to the spin- ning space, and these, with the remaining radii, were gathered together in all the fore feet and pulled very taut. The upper part of the web was also tightened, but to a less extent, by the action of the two hind feet. But on the sides the web appeared to hang loose, and, taking a side view of it (Fig. 330), one could readily see how the whole action of the spider was bent upon keeping the valuable portion of the web in a taut condition, ready for service, while the other parts were left to take care of themselves. This spider had lit- tle more space available for the capture of prey than a Triangle spider with a complete web. I have no doubt that, had I waited to see an insect strike the sector thus controlled by the fore feet, I should have seen th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectspiders, bookyear1889
