THE SPINNING SISTERHOOD. 829 



Treat's turret-builder, and she has not only watched the process, 

 but has taken part in it herself. 



The pentagonal structure is not the home, it is but the entrance 

 and the watch-tower on top of which the owner delights to sit 

 and make observation of the world about her, with sharp eye to 

 the insect supply. The real home is a burrow several inches deep. 

 The building of the tower is most interesting, the sticks being 

 carefully selected, fastened in place by threads of silk, and each 

 layer covered by a close row of small balls of earth brought up 

 from the bottom of the cave. These balls are laid on the row of 

 sticks, pressed flat and drawn down so as to coat the inside, and 

 when finished, therefore, the tube is smoothly plastered. Then 

 the silken hangings are added, and her home is complete. The 

 towers are two and a half inches high, and are strong enough to 

 be handled. 



One builder, who allowed Mrs. Treat to assist by furnishing 

 material, proved herself to be not only very hard to suit, but to 

 have a temper of her own, rejecting sticks that did not please her 

 by flinging them far off, exactly as she habitually disposed of the 

 remains of her meals. This spider, too, lived in harmony with her 

 mate, even in so small quarters as a glass jar. But she had her 

 own residence, into which Mr. Tarantula Turricula might look, but 

 was far too wise to enter. Her motherly cares and anxieties were 

 absorbing in the extreme. The bag of eggs, large as a hazel-nut, 

 was constantly carried about, and placed where it was warmest, 

 in the sunshine, toward the stove, or wherever the heat was. This 

 untiring devotion continued for two months, and when the young 

 were out she took them all on her back. 



This close student of spider ways could find no inclination in 

 the baby to kill, much less to eat, one of its own family. She tried 

 them with a freshly killed specimen, but the young would not 

 notice it; and when mamma saw it she examined it carefully, 

 then flung it away with other rubbish. She fed the youngsters 

 by crushing a fly for them. 



The most serious charge brought against our little friend is of 

 cruelty to her kind, and especially to her spouse. It would not 

 be surprising if a creature made and equipped for the duty of 

 insect-hunter, and to that end filled with the " rage of killing," 

 should now and then fail to distinguish between friend and foe ; 

 but as a matter of fact, though some species may justly be accused 

 of coolness toward their mates, others, on the contrary, live in 

 peace with them. It must be remembered, too, that the female 

 spider is always under the spell of her double duty, to reduce the 

 insects and to preserve the race. As to their relations with others, 

 though in general spider life is solitary, there are instances of 

 gregarious living, as well as of small spiders being not unwelcome 



