PROCURING FOOD AXD FEEDING. 



253 



from the centre of her web, the lower part of which was entirely torn 

 away by the struggles of the large captive. When the swathing was com- 

 pleted, Vertebrata succeeded in carrying her prey to her shelter 

 ^®P°^*^^^ under some honeysuckle leaves two feet distant. She accom- 

 })lislied this at first by seizing the mummy witli her hind feet, 

 and i^artly by aid of the feet and partly by aid of the abdomen, 

 bore it beyond the confines of the orb. When she struck the long bridge 

 line connecting her snare with her den, she kicked her load loose from 

 her feet and attached it to her abdomen by several lines about an inch in 



Swathed 

 Insects. 



Fig. 232. The Insular spider enswathing a captured locust. 



length. With her prey thus hanging behind, she crawled liand over luind 

 in the usual fashion along the line (Fig. 233), which swayed beneath its 

 double load. As she approached her nest she reached a series of lines 

 that converged upon the mouth of the den, whereupon she once more gath- 

 ered her prize within her two hind feet, crawled into the den by use of 

 the remaining feet (Fig. 234j, and there began her banquet. 



Evidently the principle of "laying ]>y in store" for future use is well 

 understood by spiders. Not, however, in any such manner as prevails among 

 the ants and more highly organized animals, as Arachiie's future is but a 



