Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 15, 1916

While sitting here, I noticed a large yellow [orb-weaver]. Desiring to see to what extent he would defend himself I took a twig & commenced tapping him. At the first touch he ran heavily up towards the end of a blackberry branch where one of the radii of his web was attached. Here he straightened out and bringing his four front feet to a point in front of him, the next pair, short ones, to a point at his abdomen, and his two long hind pair, behind his body, he commenced whirling. This was doubtless to confuse the attacker, and indeed I could scarce watch him, for his dizzy whirling.

[Prodded] again, he ran down to the web proper & commenced swinging powerfully & surfing back & forth with much the same principle as children “work up” on a swing – covering a [distance] of in the air of more than three inches.

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 15, 1916