Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-04-22
The Spider.

into a large glass vase, which had laid
for a long time forgotten in library.
1t was a large domestic spider, with
a large oval abdomen, and its bla ack-
ish back was marked with two l3ngi-
tudinal lines Of yellow spots.
The animal caught IN the transpa-
rent snare. began to run around the
bottom Of its prison, VIII h all the ra-
pidity Of It's eight feet When 1t
ascertained that no mode of egress
was to be thus found, it tried to dlimb
the clear, slippery walls of its cage,
but It's sharp, crooked claws, greatly
resembling those of lions and tigers,
sid on lie smooth crystal; and, after
spending a quarter Of an hour in a
useless Struggle, the spider fell back
fatigued and discouraged, into the
middle Of the vase. The owner Of
the library, feeling curious to aseer-
tain how tie matter would end, re-
moved the vase and its tenant to a
shady corner, where be watched Che
latter without disturbing her. She
remained immovable, coiled up, and
10 all appearance dead, until night
Eall. Then the observer, who was re-
clining in his armchair, heard gen
1 tie rustling noise proceeding from the
vase. He approached it With a light,
and instantly the spider resumed the
appearance of death. He therefore
deferred watching his prisoner until
the following morning. When he
visited her then, he found the bottom
of the vase, and the sides all around
to the height Of an inch, variegated
with myriads Of small, rough, white
spots, placed at almost geometrlcal
distances. The spider was repo4lng
in the centre.
/ On the following day, silver threads
were drawn from the white points,
ana formed the warp Of The web; on
the third morning, the woof was IN
terlaced, and the delicate fabric,
strengthened at regular spaces by
additional threads, covered t be whole
bottom Of the vase.
After all her toll, the poor spider
herself was still without a lodging
She had carpet on which she could
walk with comfort, and a hunting net
spread ont bat still she wanted an
apartment for repose. With great
difficulty and patience, She succeeded
il affixing to four or five threads
placed above her web, about thirty Of
the little spots which had already
mentioned. These formed the ridge
Of a roof sloping towards the web, and
which was interlaced with such a
multitude of fine silky threads, that
/! it at length became retreat iniper-
vious to the eve and even to mois-
ture. Some drops Of water thrown
! omit, rolled hal rmlessly off, and fell
ike wandering pearls on the horizon
tal web, when th hey grad dually eYapo-
rated.
The spider Il ad d raw n threads TO
| the length. according to calculation,
.of two thousand feet, from six little
orilices in the abdoni en-, which secret
ed a grayish liquid, transformed III
simultaneously, by cbntact with the
air. into silllen thred Ids, plant and Of
marvellous soli{lity, especially when
we consider their ext trelne tenuity.-
I A spider S line, If hot broken by a
/ Jerk. will sustain t be weightof one
twelfth Of an panee. .
As soon as the G Establishment was
finished, our friend spent her days
and nights near th e mouth Of her
; den, watching with unexamPled pa
|, tience the arrival of some chance prey.
I All ii yainl Flies we're still scarce,
and besides, there was nothing with
in the vase to attract them. Two
months passed thus. and the prisoner
crew extremely thin. At length one
dav. touched with compassion, the
obyor,-ar, cauqllt n ly. and threw il
~ thn wehwliere il struggled violent t
T. Tbon. the fanfished spider has
tanod toward it. seized it adroitly
n;t,, bor oicbt paws. choked it be-
; tmoa,, ber nowerluI crooked JAWS, and
.;.pl ."crl. M r;tb Il into her den. An houl
af'orrards she came out, carrying the
. roGog of tho dy which she threw in
- Ill romotcst corner of her web
and covered them over with q tissue
veil. Sd as TO conceal this miniature
charnel house from sight.
Every day, at the same hour 'nt