The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-04

wandering branch, giving most of his time
to the builders and settlers of snares who
stay at home and do business regularly.
These are classified according to the
shapes and styles of their snares-the
makers of orb webs, net webs, tube webs,
and silken cylinders fitted to holes in the
ground excavated by the spider itself.
After a brief word drawing of the ia
miliar outlines of the spider, the speaker
began to tell of the facts learned through
the microscope, dissections and closer OBJ
servation than the people who are not fas-
cinated by bugs usually make. From two
to eight eyes constitute the optical equip
ment of the spider. The fangs, as was
demonstrated by pictures enlarged from
life, are exact reproductions in miniature
of those of the rattlesnake, and do their
work in much the same way, being folded
closely when not in use, but always ready
for instant erection, followed, and con-
nected at their basis with poison sacs.
The openings for the election of the poi
son are, however proportiOnately smaller
than those in the fangs of a serpent, and
Mr.. Ditmars is skeptical about serious in
jury being done to a healthy human being
or any large animal by the minute guam
tity of poison a spider can throw into the
wound it makes. excepting, of course, the
huge bird spiders" of the tropics. The
North American species are loaded, he
thinks, strictly for insects.
The discussion which followed the adj
dress was participated in by several mem
bers of the society, and elected the fact
that the poison of the spider has never
been analysed because nobody has ever
been able to secure specimen of it. 1t
has been seen, however, and is known to
be yellowish, whereas the poison distilled
by the bee is pure white. The spider poi
son is supposed to be acid i'm its nature
and generally like the bees, but rather
more powerful, while the serpent's is al
luminous
One member, however thought it more
likely that the spider poison is like that
of some serpents, albuminous, with an
acid reaction. 1t was further stated that
some spiders are supposed TO have poi
son which they are capable of exuding
from every part of their bodies
The microscope shows that each rope
the spider spins to make the orb web con-
tains about 200 strands exuded as a thin,
oily fluid from inconcelvably minute
glands and hardening instantly on reach
ing the air. The process of weaving these
ropes into the geometric form familiar 20
everybody was described at length. The
web Is not only a snare, but an elaborate
and complicated system OF telegraph wires
each OF which sends 20 the center vibra-
lions indicating the general character and
weight OF any object touching Il, and di-
reefs the attention Of the owner instantly
to the point Of interest.
The web is always started with a single
line, fastened at the extreme point Il Is TO
connect with and carried TO the opposite
extreme Air currents are cunningly used
TO carry lines where the spider cannot 90.
Wherever the line touches. IL sticks Then
Il Is drawn taut and makes a new basis OF
operations. Elaborate systems OF guy
ropes and braces are established. When
the scafolding Is completed so that the
spider may move about over the area OF
the web. the real work OF spinning is be-
gun, and the beautiful radiatlng figure Is
swiftly and surely wrought Then the
scaffold, or foundation, ropes are cut away
for the spider Is a neat workman and has
regard for symmetry and surroundings.
These carefully rolled into wads and
thrown out over the edges OF the web as
n the worker was determined that the
secret OF the craft should not be discov-
orod and that nobody who studied the wen
should be able TO see where or by what
means Il was started or finished
Many spiders use their rope-ma king now.
or IN SELLING their prey. They not only
stab and poison their victim, but lie n
wing and leg, rapidly throwing over II
coil after coil Of sticky ligament which
soon not only make Il helpless. but con.
vert u into a mummy, thoroughly wrap
ped. and not only easy to carry. but put
up for preservation should the spider not