American Spiders And Their Spinning Work

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 edition. Excerpt: ... another cause. The spiders, previous to flight or vaulting, attached themselves to the post in the manner common to most of their order. The apex of the abdomen was thrust down upon the surface, and the liquid silk at the same time exuded from the spinnerets was thus caused to adhere thereto. As the creature moved away the thread was run out into line, and gave the spider a firm attachment. It is a question whether this anchorage is always made previous to flight, and whether the thread is cut immediately before the ascent. The observations made all pointed to an affirmative answer, but the matter was not positively settled. The attempt was made to follow some of the aeronauts beyond the point of ascent. The difficulty in getting the minute objects in position relative to the sun favorable for such observation, the motion of the air which carried them upward, as well as the rapidity of flight, frustrated many attempts. A position was finally token beside one of the side posts of the sliding "bars," which being opened gave a point of observation with the back to the sun, the eye upon the object, and a fair opportunity to follow it without the delay of leaping over a high fence, which before had been between the observer and the course of the aeronaut sailing before the wind. Fortune favored patience, and at last a spider took flight in a line which was a little higher than the face. Following the aranead at a moderate run, with the eye held closely upon it, I observed that the position of the body was soon reversed; that is, the head was turned in the direction toward which the wind was blowing, instead of the point from which it blew, as before the ascent. Thus the long thread which streamed out above the aeronaut inclined...

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