Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-05-08
Something About Spiders.

years TO the study OF their habits and
/ pecuiarities, spiders have not secured
an equal amount OF attention from
in the animal world suppose that
the instructive dislike with which
most people look upon the spider is
responsible for this neglect. Ii GER
tainly cannot be said that these crea-
lures have not as many interesting
, characteristics as bees or ants have.
/ None OF the smaller members OF crea-
/ ton excel them in this respect in
J deed, | venture To say that spiders
offer more attractive traits 10 the
observer who can bring himself to is
/ more their uSliness than any other in
mates OF our houses and gardens. |
will endeavor to support this conten-
ton by giving some OF the results OF
NV observations OF spiders, supple
menting my own knowledge of the
subject with information drawn from
the writings OF those naturalists who
have bestowed more than the most
cursory attention on these clever
creatures.
To begin with, il may be stated
that the spider is not All insect, though
probably nine people out of ten would
class ii under this term. With scor-
pions aud mites, spiders form class
in the animal kingdom known as the
Arachuida This name is derived
from mythical parsonage called
Arachue, the daughter of purple
dyer OF Lydia, who was tabled To
have challenged Minerva TO n trial ot
skill in spinning. So indignant vas
the goddess AT this act OF boldness
that she forthwith transformed the
hapless challenger into aspider, pre-
sumably in order that she might have
+ the best possible opportunity OF prac-
ticiug the art on which she prided
herself so much. Spiders differ from
insects in five main particulars Their
eyes are simple instead OF compound,
they have eight legs in place of siN:
/ they do not pass through the meta.
morphoses which are characteristic of
insects; they have no antennH, aud
their breathing is accomplished by
means Of organs which combine the
/ functions OF lungs and gills, instead
/ OF by tubes pervading their bodies.
/ These points of distinction are sufli-
| cient To determine the fact that IL IL
/ impossible to class spiders as insects.
The strength OF the spider silk IL
/ incredible. Size for size il II consid
erably tougher than IA bar Of steel.
/ An ordinary spiders thread i, ca pa
/ BILE Of bearing weight OF three grains
/ while "A steel thread Of the same thick
ness would support less than two. A
/ bar OF steel one inch in diameter will
bear weight OF fifty tons, but Il In
calculated that IL a spiders thread Of
! the same size could exist, IL would be
/ capable Of supporting weight OF
.
strength would be half as great again
as that Of steel, or nearly three times
that OF wrought iron.
The web OF the house spider differs
from that OF the garden variety In two
/ points: its mesh is much finer, and IL
/ Is composed OF one kind OF silk only.
I ..If.h HnI th.fe Npu into 40
are detained by the entanglement OF
/ their claws in the fine meshes. The
house spider. as IA rule, makes it,
/ snare in the corner Of the room it,
first operation il To press IL. spiDners
against the wall, thus securing the
threads In n particular spot then IL
goes 10 the opposite side. aud fastens
( the other end Of the thread. This
primary line II strengthened by two
or three others being run along beside
II. threads are drawn from it In yari.
Gus directions, and the interstices are
flied by the spiders running back
ward and forward, always leaving
line behind II. Ia one corner Of the
completed web tube Is made, In
which the spider conceals itself and
waits for the appearance OF unwary
! flies
The enjoy ment OF particular kinds
OF food H., nfter all, n matter OF Gus
tom. and the African who reyels ia
white ants IL no more peculiar la his
tastes than the European who eats
cheese mites A lady whom NJ. Reau'
mur knew Was accustomed TO deyour
| spiders as fast as she could catch
them, and German lady gave IL a.
/ her opinion that these creatures re
sembled in taste the most delicious
nuts. A fellow-couDtrymaD of this
lady was ia the habit Of regularly
hunting spiders in his own aud Ia his
friends houses, he used TO spread
them on bread. Rozel tells us, and
vowed that they were far pleasant.r
/ TO the palate than butter.
( Every one knows how unlucky II i
. suppoSfu 10 De w NIL Que oi tue tibs
''moneyspiders." IL IL hard 10 say
I why these little creatures should
have protection awarded 10 them Ia
this way, unless II is because they are
particularly numerous on a fine morn
ing. In the sixteenth century II was
generally stated that "spidrrs be true
signs Of great stores OF gold" a say
ing which arose thus: While a pas
sage 10 Cathay was being sought by
the northwest. a mariner brought
home a stone which was announced
/ 10 be gold, and caused such a fermeDt
that several vessels were fitted out
for the express purpose Of collecting