The Columbus journal., 1906-12-26
wes OF THE D

S.O -~.1 w. -. ~ So@O@-
Spinner Futs Il.
Spiders form good subjects for rainy
day study, and two hours spent In .
neglected garrett watching these clever
little beings will often arOus 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 a spider has eight be Ia
therefore thrown out Of the company
Of butterflies. beetles and wasps and
finds himself in a strange assemblage.
Even to his nearest relatives he bears
little resemblance. for when we real
fEe 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 silk worm incases its body with q
mile or more of cleaning silk, but
there its usefulness is ended. as far
as the silkwOrm IL 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 fiies-the wonderfully ingen-
i0us webs which sparkle with dew
among the grasses or stretch from bush
to bush. The framework Is Of web
hing. and upon this Is woven the sticky
spiral which is SO elastic, 50 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 q strong cable from the center
Of the web to the entrance Of his
watchtOwer. Then, when 4 trembling
Of his aerial spans warns him Of q 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 1t
have still q use for their threads Of
life, throwing out q cable as they leap
to break their fall II they miss their
fOOthOld. What a strange 8 of the
cobweb is that Of the little flying spi-
ders! Up they run to the top Of q |
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 IL he can
cut loose or pull in his balloon cables |
1t will.
A most fascinating tale would unfold
could W discover all the uses of cob
web when the spiders themselves are |
through with 1t. 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
about at ease beneath the
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
castle Of silk, SO air tight
that he can keep it filed with q large
bubble Of air. upon which he draws
from time to time.
And so We might 60 on enumerating
almost endless uses for the web. which
S natures gift to these little waits
who ages ago left the sea and have
won q place for themselves In the sun
'hine among the butterflies and flow
.rs.-C. William Beebe In New York
Post.