The Evolution of the Webs of Spiders

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Abstract
The making of its wonderfully regular web by an orb-weaving spider is a remarkable instance of specialization in habits; and correlated with this are equally remarkable specializations of structure. In the construction of their webs some spiders use several distinct kinds of silk, to produce which several distinct sets of silk glands have been evolved; and to manipulate this. silk elaborate spinning organs have been developed. The tracing of the steps by which these specializations have been evolved must be, in the present state of our knowledge, largely conjectural. We are forced to follow the method commonly employed in constructing genealogical trees. We wi11 look for generalized conditions and from these attempt to trace the evolution of those more specialized. This address, delivered at the annual meeting in Washington, D. C., Dec. 27, 1911, was illustrated by lantern slides made from photographs of the webs described. These photographs are reproduced in a volume on the Arachnida of North America, “The Spider Book,” by J. H. Comstock, now in press.

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