The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-09-02

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der returns to the centre, aud bites off
|athe point at which sall the spokes were
united, SO as 10 make iheiS security de.
pend ON the circular threads alone,
while it renders The ne, more elastic.
In this central position lie insect often
stations itself TO watch for prey, bu,
more commonly it rc,ires TO cell which
" builds near the margin Of the web,
and there remains unobserved.
p The signal of capture is commu.
nlcated TO lis retreat by the vibrations
OF the threads from tho centre of the
net. When thus informed that any
prey is tuken, The spider rushes from lis
hiding place and secures its victim.
The thread Of the spider like thu, Of
silk worm and other ca.,erpillars, is
formed from glu,inous secretion,
drawn out from the body Of the insect.
II spider be minu,ely examined, sew
erai teats or spinners, will be observed,
each containing numerous tubes or
openings.
From each these tubes all extreme
| Iy slender thread proceeds, which i'm.
mcdia1ely uni,es with the other threads
from the same spinner. Thus from
each spinner there issues compound
thread, and these unite into one larger
one, forming the thread Of the SPIDERS
web. II is estimated that there are
one thousand Of these openings, and
,hut single spiders thread is composed
Of thousand fibrcs.
How delicate must be the cordnge Of
such thread, und how pcrfec, the in.
s,ruments used in producing it? And
how susceptible Of The finest touch must
be the fingers which handle it! Yet
these are none other than the claws Of
the SPIDERS feet. With these i, guides
and arranges the glu,nous threads us
they are drawn from the spinner.
Spiders have eight legs; seven Of
these have the lower side Of the
claws loolhed. These enable the crea.
turc to take hold Of any thread, to guide
il, TO pull it, to draw il out, or TO ascer.
tnir what it caught in its net, and to
suspend itself from its slender cord q,
pleasure.
On the legs and especially on the last
three joints, moveubIe spines, or spurs,
may be observed. These can bc raised
or depressed al the will of the insect,
and are probably used as kind Of
fingers.
The number Of fbres which compose
single thread contributes greatly 10 its
strength. Rope making is on imitation
of the SPIDERS thread Suspension
bridges, supported BY bundle Of small
wires, are also constructed on the same
principle. The ends OF the SPIDERS
threads are spread out, and thus made
10 grasp more firmly the oLjcc. 10 which
it is attached.
The web Of the spider is formed by
double series Of spines which n,e on
the first joint OF one pair Of feet. These
spines are used like carding apparatus
in manufactures, the lower series
combing the rcelcd web from the
sPinneret, and the upper series discn-
gaging the web from them.
The threads, which serve only 10
form the web for sncre to calch its
prey. are very fragile, and no, as strong
as those used TO enclose the eggs,
neither are they as strong as those
which are stretched from one point to
another, as the highway Of the insect.
1t is said, that when spiders become
very old, and the fluid Of which their
web is composed is entirely dried up, so
that they cannot spin, they will 60 to
The habitation Of some young spider,
take possession Of lis web, and drive j,
away 10 weave another.
Spiders are very attentive to their
webs, and often clean the dust from
them by shaking them with their feet.
II it becomes partly destroyed, they
patiently 60 at work 10 repair it. They
are very industrious and persevering.
An interesting anocdolc is related in the
life Of Robert Bruce, who became one
of the kings Of Scotland, illustrating the
perseverance Of this creature.
lie had been ut The head Of an army
fighting against the English, and been
six times completely conquered in battle.
lie had taken shelter in rude hovel, !
almost discouraged, and os he lay OIL
his rough couch, he saw a spider trying
to extend its web from one beam to
another.
Six times it drew out its slender
thread, and failed i'll its attempts. Still
the patient creature was not dis
couragcd; it tried the seventh time,
and succeeded.
WELL exclaimed the warrior, Il /
have received a useful lesson from The
spider. Perseverance will overcome
difficulties. will Try again
lie did try again, gained the victory,
and became the king Of Scotland.
Let us, too, learn n lesson flom The
spider, and pcrscvcre in every good
work.
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The Seven Children.
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