The Structure and Habits of Spiders. 99 



young remain till some time after they are 

 hatched. The laying of the eggs is seldom 

 seen ; for the spider does it in the night, or 

 in retired places ; and often, in confinement, 

 refuses to lay at all. 



Fig- 56. 



The female Drassus, Fig. 56, spins a little 

 web A across her nest, and drops the eggs E 

 on it, as in the figure. They are soft, and 

 mixed with liquid, and are discharged in one 

 or two drops, like jelly. They quickly soak up 

 the liquid, and become dry on the surface, 

 sometimes adhering slightly together. 



After the eggs are laid, the spider covers 

 them with silk, drawing the threads over them 

 from one side to the other, and fastening them 

 to the edges of the web below. When the 

 covering is complete, she bites off the threads 



