The Kanzas news., 1859-05-21

From the 5th volume of the ssNevr Arnsr;aan tsv
/ eloPedla, a proeess Of publication by D. Az
Cobweb, is the delicate silken thread w,yen
BY the spider. and applied to various uses
by the different species. Some form of Il
webs in which to entangle their prey. 9TH
ers use it as lining for their habitation.
and others make it soft nest for their
eggs. Each thread which we see with the
naked eye is formed of Thousands of minute
strands, which. coming separately from the
body of the spider. unite at q short distanoe
from it, not by twisting, but by their glutia-
ous nature. The webs of different species
OF spiders are of various construction, ad-
apted to the nature aud habits of the erea-
ture. Some are. very remarkable for their
tenaeity, being sufficiently strong to catch
small birds. Sir George Stsnton, in bis
Embassy to China states that spiders
webs are met with in the forests of 9avaof
so strong texture a. TO require to be cut
through with knife. In the 'sAmericaa
Journal of Science" vol. xvii. p. so7s sis
an account Of 8 live striped snake suspsn-
ded in a web By the tail, which was tied in
a knot Three spiders appeared to have ac-
complished this feat, having spun cord
of great size 10 connect the snake with tbs
centre of the web above. They had also.
securely tied up the mouth of the reptile
by a multitude of threads wound around it.
The white, silky substances seen floating IA
the air during the spring and autumn morn.
ings. are without doubt produced by small
spiders, as also the innumerable thre4ds
scattered over the fields glistening in the
sunlight. Cobwebs have been applied 10
various uses, both in the arts and in medi-
cine. The delicate cross hairs in the teis-
scopes of surveying instruments ara fine
webs taken from spiders of species that are
especially selected for the excellent quality
of this material which they produce. The
spider. when caught. is made to spin bis
thread by tossing him from hand 70 hand.
in case be is indisposed to furnish the .arti-i
Gle. The end is attached to piece of wire.
which is doubled into two parallel lengths.
the distance apart exceeding little the di-
ameter of the instrument. AS the spider
bangs aud descends from this, the Meb Il
wound upon it by turning the wirs round.
The coils are then gummed to the wire and
kept for use as required. Nearly century
ago, Boa of Languedoc succeeded in ma
king pair OF gloves and pair of stock
ings from the thread of the spider. They
Y ere very strong, and beautiful gray col
OE' Obnei atIcLlpIS "a luo Sdt1e hluo nave
been made: but Reaumur. who was appoint
ed by the royal academy to report 70 rhs
subject. stated that the web of the spider
was not equal to that of the silk-worm. al.
ther in strength or lustre. The cocoons of
the latter weigh from 3 to 4 grains, so that
2, 304 worms produce q pound of silk; but
the bags of the spider when cleaned do not
weigh above the third part of grain. SO
that single silkworln can accomplish the
work of ls spiders. 1t is affirmed that the
web of the common house spider has great
medical virtue in tranquilising the nerves
and inducing sleep. while that of the field
spider is ineficacious. Il is also benfcisl
in intermittent fever, asthma. hysteric. and
other effections over which the Imagination
has power. The dose is from to 6 grains
in the form of pill, frequently repeated.
Il is superior as tonic to bark, quinine,
and arsenic, and is an excellent application
for fresh cuts, wounds. DC.