The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-26
WONDERFUL WORK OF SPIDERS.
intelligence and skill Displayed in
Making Their Nets.

rom TIE LDuAtllAAOAc sun
DR.. Henry Laney Of Cumberland who
does. considerable experimenting along sci
entihc lines for a pastime, has lately been
studying the thelyphonides, a species Of
spider that builds its web over water along
streams and rivers, with interesting re-
suits. His discoveries in some respects
have been wonderful. The investigation
was made for the purpose Of getting pho
togra phs of the web for lecture on ento-
nlology before a scientific club in Cumber-
land
After experimenting DR.. Laney found
the spider commonly known as the water
spider to be a willing. oOedient worker;
that by changing the position of the insect
TO a point he wanted him TO work in, the
spider would proceed with his labor in
most accommodating manner, as if moth
ing had happened DR.. Laney made
small wooden framework, and in this he
coaxed the spider to spin his web. Natu-
rally, spider webs are not generally locat-
cd conveniently for Photographic pur-
poses, and DR.. Laney conceived the idea
of frame for the web that he could move
to any place, so as to secure proper light
and conditions for photograph. The will
ing worker DR.. Laney found along creek
near Cumberland, where he carried on his
investigation
After securing the web which in its
natural state, is comparatively invisible
for Photographic purposes, DR.. Laney pro-
ceeded first to make il tenacious by spray
ing it with an alcoholic solution of shell
lac from medical atomizer Though still
comparatively invisible after the treatment
the web could be handled with ease with
out fear of tearing it. To develop the
beautiful work of the spider, DR.. Laney,
with another atomizer, sprayed the web
with a solution of gallo acid, which made
ii appear as if frost had settled upon il.
The web now seemed to be covered with
the mornings dew. To complete the eff
feet DR.. Laney captured the spider, put
him in the death box. and then coated
him with shellac. Deity placing the in
sect in the web in a natural position, he
was sprayed with gallo acid Using
black velvet as a background, DR.. Laney
succeeded in photogra phing one of the
most beautiful and delicate pictures found
in nature.
DR.. Laney says: 1.-The spider displays
wonderful intelligence and mechanical
skill in making these nets. Their instinct
is far above that Of the ordinary animal;
indeed, it quite borders on reason. When
a large spider desires to make a web for
himself and he has some distance to
stretch it, he does not swing himself. as
most people suppose, and let the wind or
his own momentum take him where il will
He begins his web by starting the first guy
very close up to the corner of the angle
He attaches to the other side of the an
gle. making a short guy. Each guy in
creases in length, the spider always using
the last guy made to carry the next one
over until he attains the position in which
he wishes to place his net. The last guy
may be ten feet long and the first one
only a foot in length.
The last two guys become the support
of the net. These will each be reinforced
by at least SIX strands, all laid in the one
cable, for the thorough support of the net.
After this The spider travels to the point
on the cable from which he wants to locate
his net attaches the web to that point, and
! lets drop 10 the next guy, thereby laying
the first angle guy of the net. Then he
| crawls back over the same guy to the top
! again and repeats the act until he has
! spun eight strands, which makes thirty
two angular divisions in the net. All spi-
ders, as 1 have observed, make the same
| kind of a net. with the same number OF
| strands and divisions.
| Now he proceeds to put in the network
| by starting from the center, where he at
| taches his web. then with a circular mo-
ton, travelling from guy to guy, spinning
| web as he goes, and by its natural moist
ure sticks to each guy, carefully carry
ing the web in his hind feet to prevent
Il from touching except at the point de
sired by him. When he has a small dis
lance of The inside completed, he goes tC
| the outside of the net and finishes ou
any irregular part of the net that does
not come within the radius of a circle
After the circle has been attained, tbs
| same rotary motion is kept up until tbs
net is finished to the center.
"rere comes the most comic feature o.
net bulding-the test of the durability Of
the work by the spider himself. AS soor
as the net is finished he puts every guy
| through the severest test by sharp, brisl
jerks, seemingly sufficient to tear the
whole net to pieces. The spiders antic:
| JUST then are certainly amusing. If the
| spider finds the web is not taut, he will
go to the end of the guy rope, stretch il
until it suits him, and reattach the guy
If the net still seems loose from the center
| the guy viii be carried from the center t.
some convenient point to give the net it!
| proper shane. This is only done wheT
necessary. displaying the great intelligence
of the insect"
Results Mt LatOnia.