The Garden Spiders: My Neighbour 



The base of her abdomen swells into a short 

 nipple on either side. 



This neighbour will certainly serve my 

 turn, provided that she do not work too late 

 at night. Things bode well: I catch the 

 buxom one in the act of laying her first 

 threads. At this rate, my success need not be 

 won at the expense of sleep. And, in fact, I 

 am able, throughout the month of July and 

 the greater part of August, from eight to ten 

 o'clock in the evening, to watch the construc- 

 tion of the web, which is more or less ruined 

 nightly by the incidents of the chase and 

 built up again, next day, when too seriously 

 dilapidated. 



During the two stifling months, when the 

 light fails and a spell of coolness follows upon 

 the furnace-heat of the day, it is easy for me, 

 lantern in hand, to watch my neighbour's 

 various operations. She has taken up her 

 abode, at a convenient height for observation, 

 between a row of cypress-trees and a clump of 

 laurels, near the entrance to an alley haunted 

 by Moths. The spot appears well-chosen, for 

 the Epeira does not change it throughout the 

 season, though she renews her net almost 

 every night. 



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