The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-12-06
WEB OF THE SPIDER.
The Many Uses to Which It's Singular
Spinner Puts 1t.

The Many Uses to Which Its Singular
Spinner Puts 1t.
Spiders form good subjects for rainy
day study, and two hours spent in a
neglected garnet watching these clever
little beings will often arouse such in
terest that we shall be glad to devote
many days of sunshine to observing
those species which hunt and build and
live in the open fields. There is no in
sect in the world with more than six
legs, and as spider has eight he is
therefore thrown out Of the company
OF butterflies, beetles and wasps and
finds himself in strange assemblage.
Even to his nearest relatives he bears
little resemblance, for when we real
lie that scorpions and horseshoe crabs
must call him cousin we perceive that
his is indeed an aberrant bough on the
tree Of creation.
Nature has provided spiders with an
organ filed always with liquid, which
on being exposed to the air hardens
and can be drawn out into the slender
threads which we know as cobweb.
The silkworm incases it's body with a.
mile or more Of cleaning silk, but
there it's usefulness is ended, as far
as the silkworm is concerned. But spi-
ders have found a hundred uses for
their cordage, some of which are star
tlingly similar to human inventions.
A list Of all the uses Of cobwebs
would take much space, but Of these
the most familiar is the snare set for
unwary flies-the wonderfully ingen-
ious webs which sparkle with dew
among the grasses or stretch from bush
to bush. The framework is Of web
bling, and upon this is woven the sticky
spiral which is so elastic, so ethereal,
and yet strong enough to entangle a
good sized insect. How knowing seems
the little worker as, the web and his
den Of concealment being completed
he spins strong cable from the center
OF the web to the entrance Of his
watchtower. Then, when trembling
Of his aerial spans warns him of cap
ture, how eagerly he seizes his master
cable and jerks away on it, thus vibrat-
ing the whole structure and making
more certain the confusion Of his VIC
tim.
Those spiders which leap upon their
prey instead Of setting snares for it
have still use for their threads of
life, throwing out cable as they leap
to break their fall if they miss their
foothold. What strange use Of the
cobweb is that Of the little flying spi-
ders! Up they run to the top Of a
post, elevate their abdomens and run
| out several threads, which lengthen
and lengthen until the breeze catches
them, and away goes the wingless aero
naut for yards or for miles, as fortune
may dictate! We wonder if he can
cut loose or pull in his balloon cables
at will.
A most fascinating tale would unfold
could we discover all the uses of cob
web when the spiders themselves are
through with it. Certain it is that our
ruby throated humming bird robs many
webs to fasten together the plant down
and lichens which compose her dainty
nest.
Search the pond and you will find
another member of the spider family
swimming about at ease beneath the
surface, thoroughly aquatic in his
habits, but breathing a bubble of air
which he carries about with him.
When his supply is low, he swims to a
submarine castle Of silk, so air tight
that he can keep it filed with large
bubble Of air, upon which he draws
from time to time.
And so we might go on enumerating
almost endless uses for the web, which
is natures gift to these little waits
who ages ago left the sea and have
won place for themselves in the sun
shine among the butterflies and flow
ers.-C. William Beebe in New York
Post.