The Spiders' Exodus 



mothers during the autumn. So that nothing 

 of importance might escape me, I divided my 

 stock of balloons, most of which were woven 

 before my eyes, into two sections. One half 

 remained in my study, under a wire-gauze 

 cover, with small bunches of brushwood as 

 supports; the other half were experiencing the 

 vicissitudes of open-air life on the rosemaries 

 in the enclosure. 



These preparations, which promised so 

 well, did not provide me with the sight which 

 I expected, namely, a magnificent exodus, 

 worthy of the tabernacle occupied. However, 

 a few results not devoid of interest, are to be 

 noted. Let us state them briefly. 



The hatching takes place as March ap- 

 proaches. When this time comes, let us open 

 the Banded Epeira's nest with the scissors. 

 We shall find that some of the youngsters 

 have already left the central chamber and 

 scattered over the surrounding eiderdown, 

 while the rest of the laying still consists of a 

 compact mass of orange eggs. The appear- 

 ance of the younglings is not simultaneous; it 

 takes place with intermissions, and may last a 

 couple of weeks. 



Nothing as yet suggests the future, richly- 



203 



