The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-18
CONSIDER TIE SPIDER.
He Builds His Nest With qeom etrical
Details and Precision.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.

He Builds His Nest With Geom etrical
Details and Precision.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
There is a great variety in the family
of creatures known as spiders, but none
of the tribe appeals so much to the in
terest Of an engineer as does the species
that makes a wheel-like web for taking
its prey in the construction of this
wheel the humble builder often evinces
calculating skin OF the highest order
Many persons see these peculiar wheels
hung in corners and out of the way
places, but not many stop to consider the
line points involved in their construction.
Objects that may serve as foundation
for these structures are not often placed
conveniently for the purpose and sys-
TEN OF guy-ines is necessary as a com
mencement Here, already, is where
this dlminutive engineer demonstrates
his marvellous capacity. FONTS
that are some considerable distance
apart must have connecting line thrown
across, and, be the situation as II may,
these clever calcu,ators grasp the condi-
tons and are found equal 10 any eXigenCy
Sometimes the spider uses himself as a
pendulum and depends on oscillation to
reach the opposite side to make an attach
ment with his line, and this he does in
most unique way. Having sized up the
distance across, he evidently knows
how far 10 let himself down
TO get the proper swing. He
now fastens the end of his line and drops
down to the desired point, paying out
line as he goes, using his feet as dexter
ously as if they were hands. BY grasp1ng
the line first with one of his feet and then
with one on the other side, he changes
the center of gravity, starts the
pendulum swinging, and as soon
as he strikes the near side. he gives a
vigorous kick with the result, in a few
efforts Of this kind, to strike and hold to
the opposite side, up which he then
crawls to the point he selected as his
other fastening. He may take advantage
of favoring breeze and adopt still other
tactics, all of which evinces a high de-
gree Of planning capacity Once the out
lines are arranged, central line is ex-
tended through what is TO be the circle
This done, the architect goes up to the
middle, attaches the end of his line.
crawls around the stay-lines 10 a point
horizontal TO the middle fastening secures
the end, and this he repeats until perhaps
sixteen or eighteen spokes are put in posi-
ton, all coming TO one common center.
INTELLIGENCE AND GENIUS EXHIBITED.
But while he may do all this in plain
view, they are, nevertheless, puzzles to
the on-lookers. Some parts seem like a
sleight-of-hand performance. Some of
these lines are temporary, and their pur-
pose once accomplished he has a mar
velously deft way of transferring them
for he is as much of an economist as he is
an engineer, and wastes no material He
has most intelligent way of testing the
tautness of his ropes, and he can be seen
taking a position TO hold on, while he
reaches out along the line with his foot
and grasps it with peculiar hook and
fetches in what is necessary. The spokes
once all in position, he goes to the center,
dabs fast the end of the web and now
crawls from spoke to spoke, making
| several circles, like spirals or the
threads of screw, maintaining
the threads uniform distance
| apart This is temporary work, and evil
| IDENTIFY is to give the concern some stabil-
| ity when the regular lines around the
| spokes are to be placed This work is be-
| gun on the outside and for time is
| tedious. The ends of the rays or spokes
may be some inches apart and oblige the
| spinner TO run in toward the center until
| he can reach across and then out again
! and fasten his threads, and this opera
! ton must be repeated with each ray for
| probably the first twelve or fifteen
rounds. When the circular lines have
| been brought well in the temporary
! spiral is met anu turn by turn this thread
!
and most cunningly made a part of the
work coming in from the outside. But
| while the web is in process of construc-
ton it is liable to mishap. Some flying
| insect may strike and tear guy or spoke
or other part, and the keen-eyed me-
| chanic seems to know whether this was
chance or by malicious intent of too
strong enemy. If the former he pro
ceeds at once TO repairs, if the damage be
not too serious, otherwise he may retire
to some shelter and devote hours to med
itation, and probably to secretion of web
material. If the completed web be swept
away the spider will take good rest,
and will then proceed to construct an.
other, which, however, will be on a
smaller scale. The infant will make a
diminutive wheel. sometimes no larger
than silver dollar happy if it can sue
coed in entangling gnat. But the spider
is still more creature of cunning than a
pugilist. At the center of his snare he
weaves little floor, where he stations
himself, and woe betide the lucltless fy
that entangles in those lines. MIR. Spider
sizes up his protesting caller in an in
slant, and is most astute in discerning
with whom he has TO deal Should wasI
be the intruder, the proprietor maintains
a discreet Stiffness and if the creature
displays too much muscle, the spider
abandons his property and scuttles on for
|