[Illustration: Fig. 6. Web of common Garden Spider.]

[Illustration: Fig. 7. Web of _Nephila plumipes_.]

As usual, the _radii_, or _spokes_, of the wheel-shaped structure are
first made; then the spider begins a little way from the centre, and,
passing from one radius to another, spins a series of loops at
considerable distances from each other till she reaches the
circumference. These first loops, like the radii, are of _white, dry_,
and _inelastic_ silk, and may be recognized by the little notches at
their junction with the radii. The notches are made by the spider's
drawing her body a little inward toward the centre of the web at the
time of attaching them to the radii, and so they always point in the
direction in which the spider is moving at that time, and in opposite
directions on any two successive lines (Fig. 8). Having reached what is
to be the border of her web, and thus constructed a firm framework or
scaffolding, she begins to retrace her steps, moving more slowly and
spinning now in the _intervals_ of the dry loops two or three similar
loops, but much nearer together and made of the _elastic_ and _viscid_
silk, till she has again reached her starting-point near the middle of
the web, where, on its under side, she takes a position, head downward,
hanging by her claws, and thus keeping her body from direct contact with
the web.

[Illustration: Fig. 8. Section of Web.]

Here she will remain quiet for hours as if asleep; but no sooner does a
fly or other insect strike the web, than she darts in the direction
whence the vibrations proceed, and usually seizes her prey; but,
strangely enough, if the insect have ceased its struggles before she
reaches it, she stops, and if she cannot renew them by shaking the web
with her claws, will slowly and disconsolately return to the centre of
the web, there to await fresh vibrations. These and many other facts,
even more conclusive, have satisfied me that, although this spider has
eight eyes (Fig. 9), it is as blind as a man with his eyelids shut, and
can only distinguish light from darkness, nothing more. This seems to be
the case with other geometrical species, but not at all with the field
and hunting spiders, some of which will boldly turn upon you and look
right in your eyes; they alone, of all insects, seeming to recognize the
_face_ of man as different from his body.

[Illustration: Fig. 9. Face and Jaws, magnified (eyes dimly seen).]

The hearing and touch of