210 [February 



in sucking the juices from the body of one bug ; after this bountiful 

 repast, it remained motionless for an hour or more, as if asleep. Never, 

 for a single moment, during the feast, did it pause in the work ; when 

 not in possession of a bug, it was on the search for, or in the pursuit of 

 others; it manifested much eagerness in the pursuit of its prey, yet not 

 with a lion-like boldness, for, on several occasions, I observed a manifest 

 timorousness, a halting in the attack, as if conscious of danger in its 

 hunting expeditions, although here there was none. Sometimes, when 

 two or more bugs were approaching rapidly, it would shrink back from 

 the attack, and turning aside, go in the pursuit of others. At length, 

 awakening, it would renew the assault as before. On one occasion. 

 when it was on the side of the vial, two inches up, with a large bug in 

 its mouth, I jarred the vial so that it fell to the bottom, and rolled over 

 and over across the bottom, but holding on to its prey, it regained its 

 footing and mounted up to its former position. Occasionally the chinch- 

 bugs would hasten to escape when pursued, as if in some degree con- 

 scious of danger. 



Sept. 12th — Evening. — I observed the Chrysopa in an angle formed 

 by some paper at the bottom of the vial, spinning a very attenuated 

 web. It has just commenced the work, having thrown out some of the 

 outer stays as a support for the intended cocoon; its body is curved in 

 the form of a semicircle, its head drawn inward toward the breast; fixed 

 in this position it is spinning with its very pliant tail, thrusting it out 

 in all directions, bending it as freely and gracefully as the trunk of an 

 elephant, but with great rapidity. This is certainly a very beautiful 

 sight to behold, so frail a creature constructing with such unerring and 

 mathematical precision, its temporary grave, and very naturally suggests 

 the thought, has it any idea of its future resurrection in newness of life ? 

 Upon accidentally jarring the vial it remains motionless for the space 

 of ten minutes or more, now, if possible, more cautious than ever before, 

 still true to its former nature, depending upon playing the "possum" 

 for safety. At length it commences very slowly and cautiously to con- 

 tinue spinning its web, and now apparently feeling safe from danger, 

 it works rapidly as before, occasionally shifting half way around in the 

 direction of its head by a quick jerk; in this way its very flexible tail 

 has access to every part of its cocoon. During my entire observation 

 of several hours, it holds its body in the same plane — the plane in 

 which it was curved when I saw it commencing its work, and doubtless 

 remained in this position within the cocoon. 



Sept. 13th — Morning. — The outer visible work is completed; in the 



