Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-12-13
WEE OF The SPIDER.
The Many &c Go which ITS Singular
lrnner Puts IL.

II inner Puts 10.
Spiders III good subjects for rainy
day study. )tnes 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 10 observing
those species which hunt and buih aud
live In the open fields There is no IA
sect in the world with more Than six
legs. and as n spider mas eight he Il
therefore thrown out OF the company
| Of butterfllcs. beetles and wasps ana
I hnds himself In strange assemhlaec.
Even 10 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 a.
tree OF creation.
Nature has provided spiders with an
organ filed always with liquid. which
on being exposed 90 the air hardens
and can be drawn out into the slender
threads which we know as cohweh
The sllkworm lncases It's body with
nile ar more OF cleaning silk. but
there its usefulness Is ended. as FAR
as the sIlkworm Is concerned Hut spi.
ders have found a hundred uses foi
their cordage. some of which are star.
tlingly similar 10 human inventions
n list OF all the uses OF cobwcb,
would take much space. hut " these
the most familiar Is the snare set for
unwnry files-the wonderfully lngen.
ious webs which sparkle with dew
among tue grasses or stretch from bush
90 bush. The framework Is ~ web. |
bling. and upon this Is woven the sticky |
spiral which * so elastic. 50 ethereal !
aud yet strong enough to cntnngle u |
good sized insect. How knowing seems /
the little worker as, the web and bis
den OF concealment being completed. /
he spins a strong cable from the center /
OF the web 20 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 II. thus vlbrat.
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 IL
have still use forIthelr threads OF
life, throwing out a cable as they leap
TO break their fall II 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
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 II he can
rut loose or pull In his balloon cables
II viii.
A most fascinating tale would unfold
'ould we discover all the uses OF cob
web when the spiders themselves are
through with IL. Certain Il Is that our
'uby throated humming bird robs many
webs TO fasten together the plant down
Ind lchens which compose her dainty
lest
SEARCH the pond and you VIII ind
mother member Of the spider family
winning about az ease beneath the
urface. thoroughly aquatic IN his
lablts. but breathing bubble OF air
which he carries about with him y
When his supply IL low. he swims TO n i
castle OF silk so air tight
hat he can keep IL filed with a large
hubble OF air. upon which he draws
rom time Co time
And so we might 20 ON enumerating
lmost endless uses for the web. which
; natures gift 10 these little waits
rho ages ago left the sea and have
ron a place for themselves In the sun.
hine among the butterflies and low
&c. William Beebe In New York \
ost.
CONDENoEn uAoaE.,.,e,