Fig. 149.—A Dead Orbweaver Hanging by Broken Strands of Web-work.Fig.149.—A Dead Orbweaver Hanging by Broken Strands of Web-work.
It was a bright crisp day, and when dinner was over, all went out upon the lawn and gathered around the great Rose Bush. There was a quadruple wedding in Brownieland: Lieutenant MacWhirlie and Agatha, Adjutant Blythe and Faith, Sergeant True and Sophia,Ensign Lawe and Grace, all stood up together, and were joined in holy wedlock according to the simple rites of the Brownies. Then, amid shouts of the children, cheers of the older folk, and the wildest hurrahs of Brownie soldiers, sailors and people all, the eight happy fairies rode away, escorted by a gaily uniformed troop, to the Lone Aspen, where Madam Breeze had prepared for them a grand reception. Fairy Dew and Dewpoint were there, and the four sister Cloud Elves, and Whisk, Keener and Whirlit, and before the merrymaking ended, even Elf Frost looked in, quite happy to be once more free to roam abroad.
As the evening was fine, and the moon full, Commodore Rodney and Pipe the Boatswain arranged to give the party a reception on the Emma and a moonlight sail upon the lake. The sailors had beautifully decorated the ship; fox-fire lanterns gleamed from every part of the forts, and shone all along the shore. Our old friends Captain Ask, Help, Clearview, Mate Angel, Howard, Hope, Rise, Shine, the Twadeils and many others were aboard. The wind was fresh and the lake was a little rough, but that only made matters all the merrier. How the ship did scud along!
It was passing the Point of Ellen's Isle, when suddenly a small vessel pushed out from the brown grasses at the water's edge, crossed the wake of the Emma within a stone's throw, and stood away toward the shore.
"Sophie, Sophie!" cried Faith, "look yonder! Do you know that yacht?"
Sophia glanced a moment at the beautiful vessel as it rose and fell on the waves and sped swiftly through the moonlight.
"It is the Fringe!" she cried. "And there—see! There is Raft the Smuggler. He has raised his hat!He is waving it. Hurrah! hurrah!" Perhaps had she stopped a moment to ask whether or not such conduct were orthodox in a Brownie bride, she would not have done it, but she simply gave way to the impulse of her heart; she plucked her bridal veil from her head and, quite unconscious of what she did, waved it again and again at the fast flying yacht.
The Natties had sprung to their guns at the Fringe's appearance, prepared to pour a broadside into her; but when they saw Sophia's greeting and heard her shout, they took their cue from her, and instead of shot sent cheers after the smuggler and his pretty craft.
The Natties had sprung to their guns at the Fringe's appearance, prepared to pour a broadside into her; but when they saw Sophia's greeting and heard her shout,
The Boys' Illustration.they took their cue from her, and instead of shot sent cheers after the smuggler and his pretty craft."Poor fellow!" sighed Faith, as she leaned over the rail, and watched Raft's vessel disappear under the shadow of the shore; "poor fellow; what a pity that he should be a Pixie!"The Boys' Illustration.
they took their cue from her, and instead of shot sent cheers after the smuggler and his pretty craft."Poor fellow!" sighed Faith, as she leaned over the rail, and watched Raft's vessel disappear under the shadow of the shore; "poor fellow; what a pity that he should be a Pixie!"
they took their cue from her, and instead of shot sent cheers after the smuggler and his pretty craft.
"Poor fellow!" sighed Faith, as she leaned over the rail, and watched Raft's vessel disappear under the shadow of the shore; "poor fellow; what a pity that he should be a Pixie!"
THE END.
CHAPTER II.
Note A,p. 14.—Atypus piceus is a European species of Tunnelweaver (Territelariæ), which inhabits Great Britain. It resembles in habit our Atypus Abbotii, the Purse-web spider, found in the Gulf States, especially Florida; but supports its external tube upon the trunks of trees, instead of on the grass or surface.
Note B,p. 16.—Spiders are extremely cleanly in their habits, and brush and comb the various parts of the body with their hairy and spinous legs and palps. When brushing the head and chest (cephalothorax) the resemblance to the cat's toilet habits warrants the reference in the text.
Note C,p. 18.—Some of our American spider species have been imported from Europe, and I have seen them on vessels stowed away in divers crannies and under sundry parts of the ship, and overspun in the method attributed to Spite and his companions, and shownFig. 15.
CHAPTER III.
Note A,p. 22.—Epeïra globosa is a species of Orbweaver, which spins above its round snare a bell-shaped silken tent, represented atFig. 17,p. 21.
Note B,p. 22.—One of the most common webs spun upon grass, on box-wood borders of flower beds, on arbor vitæ hedges, and such like positions, is that of the Speckled Tubeweaver, Agalena nævia, here described. It is a broad sheet, usually concave or funnel-shaped, with a circular opening near the middle or at one side, which leads into a long silken tube extending downward among the branches, or to the ground. At the opening the spider is usually seen waiting for prey.Lines are attached to the sheet at various parts and reach upwards to bits of foliage, forming a network of lines which support the sheet. Insects in flight strike against these cross lines, and fall down upon the sheet, and become the prey of the Speckled Agalena who rushes upon them from the opening of her tube.
Note_C,p. 24.—The cables here referred to are the upright lines described inNote B. (SeeFig. 28,p. 54.)
Note D,p. 26.—The turret of Lycosa arenicola, is here described. It is popularly known as the Turret Spider. This animal is widely distributed throughout the United States, and may be found along the Atlantic shore where it burrows in the sand, and sometimes selects small pebbles for the foundation of its tower. The shape of the tower is not always a regular pentagon, but inclines to take that form. Beneath the surface is a tubular burrow extending straight down as far sometimes as twelve inches. The spider is frequently found on guard at the top of the tower.
Note E,p. 26.—SeeNote Aabove. The web of the Speckled Agalena when spun upon grass often takes this form and shows a striking likeness to a miniature circus tent.
Note F,p. 27.—The Turret Spider is sometimes seen at the summit of its tower with head and fore limbs thrust over the edge, apparently on the lookout for passing insects.
Note G,p. 35.—The above description andFig. 22are of the cocoon of the large and beautiful Orbweaver Argiope cophinania (or riparia). It is a pear-shaped object about an inch or an inch-and-a-quarter long, and is suspended in the manner shown, among the branches of bushes, etc. The outside is a closely woven silken cloth of a dull yellow color. Next to this is a coating of bright yellow flossy silk, and in the centre is a closely woven ball of purplish or brownish silk, within which may be found the eggs of the mother spider. These sometimes number more than a thousand. When the little ones are hatched out, they live within this silken house until they are strong and old enough to cut their way out and form webs for themselves.
CHAPTER VI.
Note A,p. 52.—The lodge here referred to as used for a guard house by the Pixies, is supposed to be a snare of the Speckled Agalena, which often spins its tent-like web upon the low grass of a lawn.Fig. 27shows a web spun upon a honeysuckle vine, whose over-arching tendrils form a little cavern or booth which might well suggest a lodge.
CHAPTER VII.
Note A,p. 62.—Spider webs are often destroyed or injured by wind storms.
Note B,p. 62.—A common habit of ground spiders and those that weave snares upon the ground is to thus hide themselves when molested or alarmed.
Note C,p. 67.—"Hand over hand." This roughly describes the method of some spiders in raising their prey when swathed, and in moving building material and debris.
Note D,p. 69.—See Note C. The figure is from life.
Note E,p. 73.—The achievement attributed to Spite is based upon a recorded account; but the author is bound to say that he has seen no examples of webs that had been counterpoised with intent, as above described. Webs are sometimes found thus balanced as atFig. 34; but it is doubtful if this is not the result of accident.
CHAPTER VIII.
Note A,p. 75.—The mandibles or external jaws of spiders are shown inFig. 39, and described in the text; the poison gland is shown atFig. 40. The outlet for the poison may be seen at the tip of the fangs inFig. 39.
CHAPTER IX.
Note A,p. 84.—Certain species, especially Orbweavers (Fig. 86) and Lineweavers, swathe their prey when captured and before eaten. (SeeFig. 33,p. 69;Fig. 134,p. 318.)
Note B,p. 88.—The bridge-lines here described are common objects in Nature. Spiders move freely from point to point, thereby often crossing considerable intervals.Fig. 44shows the way in which these bridges and webs may block a path.
CHAPTER X.
Note A,p. 97.—The egg-bag within which the mother spider places her eggs is popularly, though not quite correctly, called a cocoon. It is sometimes simply a wad or ball of loose silk, but more frequently is a bag of stiff and closely woven silk as atFig. 22.Fig. 47is the cocoon of an Orbweaver, Nephila plumipes;Fig. 48, of a Saltigrade or Jumping Spider, Phidippus opifexMcCook.
CHAPTER XIII.
Note A,p. 115.—Dolomedes fimbriatus, a rather common English spider, makes or utilizes a rude raft of leaves, and drifts over the fens thereon. The American Dolomedes frequents the water but has not been observed to act as above.
Note B,p. 117.—As a rule spiders prey upon one another, without regard to species or sex.Fig. 55represents two males fighting.
CHAPTER XIV.
Note A,p. 123.—Lycosa tigrinaMcCookabounds in the Eastern and Middle United States, and makes the burrow here described.
CHAPTER XV.
Note A,p. 128.—Herpyllus ecclesiasticusHentzis a common American Tubeweaver. It is black, with a dorsal pattern in white like that shown in the figure of the "Pixie parson."
Note B,p. 135.—The aeronautic or ballooning habit of spiders is the basis of these engineering feats of the Pixies Lycosa and Gossamer. A pleasant October day is the best on which to observe it; but young spiders may be seen in aeronautic flight during all warm months. An elevated spot is usually sought from which to make the ascent. Ground spiders, asLycosids, ascend in the manner shownFig. 57; Orbweavers drift off as atFig. 59. This interesting habit is described more at length in my "Tenants of an Old Farm."
Note C,p. 137.—Mother spiders of certain species carry their egg cocoons until the young are hatched; some take them in their jaws as our long-legged cellar spider, Pholcus, others beneath their bodies or lashed to the end of the abdomen.
CHAPTER XVI.
Note A,p. 144.—Tetragnatha is a genus which has several common species in the United States and Europe, T. extensa being most familiar. Its colors, especially when young, are green and yellow, and when its long body and legs are stretched upon a leaf or twig (Fig. 64) it is difficult to detect it. The species here personified is one that keeps close to streams and ponds, Tetragnatha grallatorHentz, the Stilt spider. The method of sailing,Fig. 66, is not imaginative but drawn from nature. The Pixie "Sixpoint" is a Citigrade spider, Dolomedes sexpunctatusHentz. I have known it to stay under water for forty minutes.
CHAPTER XVII.
Note A,p. 153.—Many Orbweavers spin together several leaves, or roll up the end of a single leaf and form the nests described and shown,Fig. 69. That atp. 158,Fig. 72, was made by Epeira trifoliumHentz. (Seep. 194.)
Note B,p. 154.—"The Cardinal Company." Phidippus cardinalisHentzhas its abdomen and venter covered with brilliant red hairs. Phidippus rufusHentzresembles it but is less brilliant. These are jumping or Saltigrade spiders, belonging to the Attidæ.
CHAPTER XIX.
Note A,p. 188.—The Sedentary spiders, those which capture their prey by means of snares, commonly fling bands and threads of silk around the captive before feeding upon it. (Seep. 69.)
CHAPTER XXII.
Note A,p. 216.—The habits and spinning work of a common OrbweaverEpeira labyrintheaare personified in the Pixie jailer Labyrinthea.
Note B,p. 218.—The male spiders of Orbweavers when they "would a-wooing go," hang around the edge of the orbweb, and are not always received kindly. Sometimes, indeed, they are eaten.
Note C,p. 220.—"Hyptiotes." The Triangle Spider, Hyptiotes cavatusHentz. Its snare and mode of capturing prey are most interesting and ingenious.
Note D,p. 223.—This rigidity of limbs is not exaggerated, and is common to both old and young of this species.
Note E,p. 226.—The Labyrinth spider makes several cocoons, strung together as the several figures show. Each one is made of two circular caps united at the edges, so that Brownie Dodge could thus open an edge and peep out.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Note A,p. 238.—"The water Pixie's den." The water spider of Europe, Argyroneta aquatica, makes a cocoon upon the water, somewhat in the manner described. No species with like habits has yet been discovered in America, and the author in locating the same at "Hillside," has sacrificed the facts of geographical distribution to imagination. But no doubt he will be pardoned for the sake of the incident which brings the lost Boatswain Pipe to life again.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Note A,p. 240.—There is some, though little, variety in the color of silk with which spiders spin their snares; but their cocoons are often woven with bright colored silk.
CHAPTER XXV.
Note A,p. 250.—The tradition that spiders are sensitive to music is old and widely spread, but appears to have little or no basis in natural habit. However, the reader may find, if he will, some pleasant stories based thereon.
Note B,p. 250.—"Feigning death." This habit is strongly developed in many spider species.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Note A,p. 259.—"Bowl shaped battery."Fig. 110was drawn from a snare of Linyphia communisHentz, woven among morning glories. Compare with that of Linyphia marginataHentz,Fig. 68,p. 151, in which the bowl is reversed.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Note A,p. 270.—The Trap-doors drawn atFigs. 117,118and121are from Moggridge, and are not of American species, though they differ only in size.
Note B,p. 271.—This habit has been attributed to the Trap-door makers, but needs to be confirmed.
Note C,p. 275.—The mother wasp, which lances and paralyzes the big southwestern Tarantula, Eurypelma Hentzii, is Pepsis formosa, called popularly the "Tarantula hawk." The author has seen it pursuing the above species, but does not know positively that it attacks the true Trap-door maker, Cteniza Californica.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Note A,p. 280.—This is no doubt a true representation; see the three claw marks on the inside of the lid shown atFig. 124.
Note B,p. 284.—The moulting period (see next Chapter), is attended with great weakness.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Note A,p. 290.—The sting of the spider collecting wasps destroys the power of motion, but does not at once kill; it is certainly fatal in the end, if the young wasp larva does not in the meantime eat the victim stored away for her by maternal foresight.
CHAPTER XXX.
Note A,p. 309.—Spiders have been known to thus suspend a snake, which is not so remarkable as it seems if we consider that a small garter snake ten inches long may weigh from one-eighth to one-fourth of an ounce.
Note B,p. 313.—The Medicinal spider, Tegenaria medicinalisHentz, builds in cellars and shady spots a strong sheeted web with a tower at one angle thereof.
Note C,p. 314.—The capture of a mouse in a spider web has been proved, at least to the author's satisfaction.Fig. 135is a sketch of such a captive made by Governor Proctor Knott, of Kentucky.
Note D,p. 319.—This "fish story" is quite true. The incident occurred in a draining ditch near Eagleswood, New Jersey. The fish was three and one-fourth inches long and weighed sixty-six grains; the spider was three-fourths of an inch long and weighed fourteen grains. It was one of our large Lycosids, probably a Dolomedes The facts on which the incidents of this chapter are based, are given in Vol. I, "American Spiders and their Spinningwork."
CHAPTER XXXI.
Note A,p. 324.—Most species of Spiders are solitary in their habits; not like the social hymenoptera, as bees and ants. In this respect, the social characteristics of the Pixies are not true to nature, except in the case of spiderlings, or quite young spiders. However, some recent discoveries, especially those of the eminent French araneologist, M. Eugene Simon, seem to point to a decided social habit in several South American species.
Note B,p. 329.—This nest, so much like a bird's in form, is that of Lycosa Carolinensis. It is made from the needle-like leaves of the white pine, or other available material by bending and pasting the same, as in the cut,Fig. 138.
Note C,p. 330.—The snares of Agalenanævia are often seen in such situations, and are sometimes of immense size.
Note D,p. 331.—The belief that spiders can prognosticate the weather is widely spread, but seems to have little or no basis in fact. The author has shown the groundlessness of the opinion at least in the case of Orbweaving Spiders.
"Tenants of an Old Farm."
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