The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-11
THE WEB OF A SPIDER
WONDERFUL SKILL EXERCISED IN ITS
CONSTRUCTION.

Thread Almost savors of Reason.
Photographic "a Net.
DIR. Henry Laney of Cumberland, who
does considerable experimenting along
scientific lines, has been studying the the
lyphonides, species of spider that builds
It's web over water along streams and riv-
ers with interesting results The inves-
tigation was made for the purpose of get
ting photographs of the web. The web
was obtained by placing small wooden
frame In the spiders way, and it was
| quickly covered with the perfectly woven
silky thread After securing the web
which In its natural state Is comparatively
| invisible for Photographic purposes, DR.
| Laney proceeded first to make il tenacious
by spraying 1t with an alcoholic solution
of shellao from medical atomizer.
Though still comparatively invisible after
this treatment, the web could be handled
with ease without fear of tearing 1t. To
develop the beautiful work of the spider,
DR.. Laney, with another atomizer, sprayed
the web with solution of gallo acid,
which made 1t appear as If frost had set
tied upon 1t. The web now seemed to be
covered with the mornings dew. To
complete the effect DIR. Laney captured the
spider, put him In the death box and then
coated him with shellao. Deity placing
the insect in the web in natural position,
he was sprayed with gallo acid. Using
black velvet as background, DR.. Laney
succeeded In photoRraphing ono of the
most beautiful and delicate pictures found
in nature.
DIR. Laney says: THE spider displays
wonderful intelligence and mechanical
skill in making these nets. Its instinct
Is far above that of the ordinary animal
indeed 1t quite borders on reason. When
O large spider desires to make a web for
himself and he has some distance to stretch
it, he does not swing himself, as most peo-
pie suppose, and let the wind or his own
momentum take him where it 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 angle
making short guy. Each guy increases
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 10
feet long and the first one only foot in
length.
1.-THE last two guys become the support
of the net These will each be re-en-
forced by at least six strands, all laid in
the one cable, for the thorough support of
the net. After this the spider travels to
bn0 pOlHb Oh UHe CdDl6 from WHICH ne
wants to locate his net, attaches the web
to that point and let's drop 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
make 32 angular divisions in the net All
spiders, as 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 circular motion
travelling from guy to guy, spinning web
as he goes and by it's natural moisture
sticks it to each guy, carefully carrying
the web in his hind feet to prevent 1t from
touching except at the point desired by
him. When he has small distance of the
inside completed, he goes to the outside of
the net and finishes out any irregular part
of the net that does not come within the
radius of circle. After the circle has
been attained the same rotary motion is
kept up until the net is finished to the
center.
Here comes the most comic feature of
net building-th test of the durability of
the work by tho spider himself. AS soon
as 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 The SPIDERS antics
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 it until
the net suits him and reattach the guy. If
the net still seems loose from the center,
the guy will be carried from the center to
some convenient point to give the net its
proper shape. This is only done when
of the insect.
"The nets are perched so as to catch
mosquitoes and small insects. The strug-
giles of the prey generally seriously dam
age the nets The spider himself in the
morning demolishes the rest Of the web
for the day, with the exception of the main
guy ropes retires to q secluded quarter
and again appears late In the afternoon,
about 80 or o'clock, and renews his
net. 1t requires him about an hour and a
half 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 cor
ner in the big net of the parent and build
small web with the same accuracy and
precision as the older insect.
no notice Of the accumulation of insect
life In its meshes, and when his work OF
building is finished he pounces upon them
ravenously, consuming them in toto. You
cannot knock or blow these spiders out of
their nets, nor can they be taken I'M
awares When they fall, their own net is
attached to them, and they can almost
touch the water and then quickly run back
on the silken string which they spun while
falling. The web is always attached to
them. When the main guy Of the net be-
comes too full of insect debris for oonven-
fence and comfort, the spider goes out,
consuming all before him and at the same
time spinning fine web behind, entirely
renewing the guy
1.-THE silken thread is first liquid, but
instantly becomes solidifed when it comes
In contact with the air, and when the
spider drops out of his net, as If falling, it
is indeed funny to see him run back again
in an instant over the thread which he
spun while falling. "-Pittsburg Gazette.