Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-01-04
TALK ON SPIDERS.
A Beautiful Web Built Upon n Wall on
the Moorlnnd.


across large spiders web built up
on wall. Its precise geometrical
accuracy at once betrayed the fact
of its belonging to member of the
family epeiridoe. The form of web
built by this family of spiders is the
popular ideal of spiders web, and
it is but small percentage of the
nonscientifc community who, If
asked for the description OF a spi-
der's snare, would not give that OF
an epeira. But there are spiders
webs and spiders webs. All spiders
do not build their snares alike, and
some obtain their prey by hunting
searched for the spider and found
him. as usual, resting, head down
ward, in the center of his web, his
colored body showing up well in the
dazzling sunlight. A decided white
or cream colored cross upon his back
at once pronounced his Identity
the common garden or diadem spi-
der (Epeira diadem). This species
has when disturbed a curious habit
of shaking the web, so touched
the spider, and at once the net shook
SO violently as to obscure all form
and shape by reason of the rapidity
of the vibrations
In October the garden spider
forms its cocoon, to contain the eggs,
which, after laying over winter,
hatch in the spring, when q most
beautiful sight may be seen. Speak
ing from experience, this sight is
truly beautiful and cannot fail to
interest even the most unscientific.
Directly after leaving the egg these
pretty little spiders construct an
irregular mass of very fine threads
among the heritage, in the middle
of which they cluster together, as
closely as the proverbial "herrings
in a box" forming a little ball Of
about the size of Il pea. Gently touch
one of these threads, or twig, near
enough to disturb them, and In an
instant the little ball is turned, ap-
parently, into smoke, as the 600 or
700 of almost invisible little atoms
of life begin to disperse and scatter
themselves in the immediate neigh
borhood
If quietness prevail for some lit
tie time and the disturbance be not
continued, the tiny creatures grad
ually gather themselves into clus-
ter again, which is restored to its
former size as soon as the few thou
sands of bodily appendices can be
packed to the best advantage.
1t is said that the total absence of
light in nowise affects the construc-
ton of a web. and it has also been
stated that young spiders can make
these beautiful webs in full perfec-
ton. Dr.. Dallinger has watched a
spider begin and complete web in
81 minutes.
In common with some other in
sects, the subject Of our sketch has
q peculiar method of overcoming
its victim by winding threads round
and round it until it is enveloped in
a strong silken covering. Thus the
spider is able to deal with large in
sects, and the method also gives him
a supply of fresh food, for the in
sects thus inwrapped are kept alive
in the web. The second pair Of legs
of the male is armed with number
of short, strong spines, for the pur-
pose, it is said, of defending him
against the attacks of his spouse,
who is very ferocious during tho
pairing season and has been known
to capture and devour her mate
when approached by him at this
season.
In Homes Without Hands" the
author (N1r. Wood gives an inter
esting account of the ingenuity dis
played by garden spider A web
was exposed to a strong current OF
wind. Either from its inability to
renew the part during the storm or
knowing that if done it would be
probably torn away again, the spi-
der suspended some pieces of wood
to the web as weights, which, while
serving to preserve the form and
shape of the web, did not offer too
great a resistance to the wind. To
prove that they were not accidental
ly 80 placed, Mr.. Wood removed the
pieces Of wood, but found that 9TH
er pieces Of wood took their places,
thus showing, beyond doubt, that
they were there for some purpose.
Newcastle Chronicle.