Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-10-28
THE WEB OLA SPIDER,
WONDERFUL SKILL EXERCISED iNiTs
!. CONSTRUCTION.

The Intelligence Displayed By the
Insect In Manipulating It's silken
Thread Almost savors Of Reason.
Photographing q Net.
Dr.. Henry Laney Of Cumberland, who
does considerable experimenting along
scientific lines, has been studying the the
o species Of spider that builds
it's web over water along streams and riv-
ers, with interesting results. Tho inves-
tigation was made for the purpose Of get.
ting photographs of the web. Tho web
was obtained by placing a small wooden
frame In tho SPIDERS way, and 1t was
quickly covered with the perfectly woven
Iilky thread. After securing tho web,
which in Its natural state Is comparatively
Invisible for Photographic purposes, DIR.
Laney proceeded first to make 1t tenacious
by spraying 1t with an alcoholic solution
Of shellao from a medical atomizer.
Though still comparatively invisible after
this treatment, the web could be handled
with ease without fear Of tearing 1t. 10
develop the beautiful work of thespider,
Oh. Laney, with another atomizer, sprayed
the web with a solution of gallo acid,
which made 1t appear as II frost had set
tied upon 1t. The web now seemed to DO
covered with tho mornings dew. To
complete tho effect DR.. Laney captured tho
spider, put him in tho death box and then
coated him with shollao. Deity placing
the insect in the web in q natural position,
he was sprayed with gallo acid. Using
black velvet as a background, DR.. Laney
succeeded in photographing one Of tho
most beautiful and delicate pictures found
in nature.
Dr.. Laney says: 1.-THE spider displays
wonderful intelligence and mechanical
skill in making these nets. Its Instinct
10 far above that Of the ordinary animal
Indeed 1t quite borders on reason. When
Q large spider desires to make q web for
himself and he has some distance to stretch
1t, he does not swing himself, as most peo-
pie suppose, and let the wind or his own
momentum take him where 1t will. He
begins his web by starting tho first guy
very close up to the corner Of the angle.
He attaches to the other side Of the angle,
making a short guy. Each guy increases
In length, the spider always using the last
guy made to carry the next n over until
he attains the position in which he wishes
to place his net. The last guy may be 10
feet long and the first one only q foot in
length 9Th.
Of the net. These will each be ro-en-
forced by ut least six strands, all laid in
the n cable, for the thorough support Of
the net. After this the spider travels to
the point On tho cable from which no
wants to locate his net, attaches the web
to that point and lots drop tho next guy,
thereby laying the first angle guy of the
/ ~1k VI Tl.1, L. ~~~- 1--1.az-,a~
guy to tho top again and repeats the act
until no has spun eight strands, which
mako 80 angular divisions in the net. All
spiders, as I have observed, mako the same
kind Of q net, with the same number Of
strands and divisions.
"Now he proceeds oputin the network
by starting from tho center, where he at
taches bis web, then with circular motion
travelling from guy to guy, spinning web
as he goes, and by Its natural moisture
sticks It to eaoh guy, carefully carrying
the web in his hind feet to prevent 1t from
him. Whom he has q small distance Of the
inside completed, he goes to tho outside OF
the net and finishes out any irregular part
Of the net that does not come within the
radius of q circle. After the circle has
been attained tho same rotary motion ID
kept up until tho net is finished to the
center.
"Here comes the most comic feature OF
net building-the test of the durability Of
the work by tho spider himself. Az soon
a the net is finished he puts every guy
through the severest test by sharp, brisk
jerks, seemingly sufficient to tear the
whole net to pieces. Tho SPIDERS antics
just then are certainly amusing. If tho
spider finds the web is not taut, he will gt
to the end of tho guy rope, stretch it unit
the net suits him and reattach tho guy. L
the net still seems loose from the center
the guy will be carried from the center K
some convenient point to give the net its
proper shape. This is only done when
necessary, displaying the great intelligence
Of tho insect.
"The nets are perohed so as to catch
mosquitoes and small insects. The 'strug
giles of tho prey generally seriously dam
age the nets. The spider himself in the
morning demolishes the rest of the wet
for the day, with. tho exception Of thu mair
guy ropes, retires to q secluded quartz,
and again appears late in tho afternoon
about 4:30 or s O'Clock, and renews hif
net. Il requires him about an hour and {
halt to construct the ordinary web. This
work is done every day, rain or shine, and
both male and female spiders are equally
industrious. The baby spiders are taught
industry, beginning net building right
after their birth. They will select a cor
ner in the big net Of the parent and built
. small web with the same accuracy ant
precision as the older insect.
"While building his net the spider take.
no notice Of the accumulation Of insect
life in its lmeshes, and when his work O
building is finished he pounces upon then
ravenously, consuming them in toto. Yor
cannot knock or blow these spiders out O
their nets, nor a they be taken un
awares. When they fall, their own net Il
attached to them, and they can almost
touch tho water and then quickly run bacl
on the silken string which they spun Will,
falling. The web is always attached tx
4 them. When the main 01v Of tho moi; he