| CHAP. | | PAGE |
| I. | A Survey of the Field. Evidences of spider industry.
Where to look for spiders. Variety
of habits | [1] |
| II. | What is a Spider? The Arthropoda and their
divisions. Arachnida. Characteristics of a
spider. Spinnerets and their use | [5] |
| III. | The Circular Snare. Foundation lines. The
spiral with its viscid beads. The building of
the snare. Why the spider is not caught in
its own snare | [13] |
| IV. | The Mental Powers of Spiders. The human standpoint.
Instinct. Sight. Hearing. Smell.
Taste. Memory and “educability” | [20] |
| V. | Trap-snares and Balloons. Variations of the
circular snare. The snare of Hyptiotes.
Webs of Theridion and Linyphia. The iron
railing and its aeronauts. A race congress.
Gossamer. Geographical distribution | [30] |
| VI. | Agelena. Its web. The spider and its behaviour
in captivity. The platform and its carpet.
The construction of the cocoon. Instinctive,
not intelligent | [38] |
| VII. | Water-Spiders. Marine spiders. The fresh-water
spider. The diving bell, and how it
is filled with air. Behaviour of the male.
Winter and summer houses | [47] |
| VIII. | Crab-Spiders.—Mimicry. The appearance of
crab-spiders. Their haunts. Protective
coloration and resemblance. Habits correlated
with structure. Probable origin of
“mimicry” | [52] |
| IX. | Wolf-Spiders. General habits. Semi-aquatic
species. Nomads and settlers. Structure.
Eyes. Lycosa picta. A colony in full swing.
The burrow. Egg-bags. Recognition of
cocoons. Want of discrimination. The
Tarantula. Its haunts and habits. The
death-stroke. The burrow and its parapet.
Sunning the cocoon. Carrying the young.
Poisonous properties | [58] |
| X. | Jumping Spiders. The Zebra Spider. Its structure.
Its wonderful eyes. Hunting its prey.
The use of the drag-line. Sight in jumping
spiders. Love dances. Sham-fights. A
remarkable piece of research | [76] |
| XI. | Theraphosid Spiders. Sub-division of the Order.
Mandibles. Atypus and its nest. Its habits.
Aviculariidae. A giant spider. Trap-door
nests. Method of burrowing. “Bird-eaters,”
and their habits. Dugesiella. Poor sight but
remarkable sense of touch. Psalmopoeus
in captivity | [87] |
| XII. | Stridulation. How sound is produced in Arthropoda.
Its purposes. Popular mistakes.
Spines and Keys. The purring spider | [105] |
| XIII. | The Spinning Apparatus. Spinnerets. Their
mobility. Spools and spigots. Glands. Arrangement
in Epeira. No interweaving of
lines. Functions of glands. Spinning operations.
The Cribellum. The feet of spiders | [110] |
| XIV. | The Enemies of Spiders. Cannibalism. Egg
parasites. Moulting. Starvation. Body
parasites. Solitary wasps. A gruesome fate | [120] |
| XV. | Concluding Reflexions. The “use” of spiders.
Wide range of habits. Complexity of instincts.
The mystery of the egg. The storage of
energy. Economy in diet. Conclusion | [126] |
| Literature | [133] |
| Index | [135] |