CHAPTER III. 



THE TEXANTS PKEPARING FOR WINTER. 



'^ Stop ! Look into this clump of grasses and tell me 

 what you see." 



'• I see nothing of special interest," said the school- 

 mistress. " The bearded heads of the grass have been 

 twisted together by some passing animal, I suppose, 

 but that is all. Ah, no! I see now. Here is a beautiful 

 little pear-shaped nest hung among the foliage. I have 

 seen similar ones in New England, though I am sure I 

 cannot guess wRat it is unless it be the cocoon of a cater- 

 pillar." 



"Xo, it is the egg-sac, or, as it is technically called 

 (althougii somewhat loosely), the ' cocoon ' of our Bank 

 Argiope. It has evidently just been made ; we shall 

 find the mother near by. Ah, here she is ! Alarmed by 

 our approach she has liidden among these leaves. Ob- 

 serve how the abdomen has shrunken as compared with 

 the specimen Ave first saw, who was distended with 

 eggs, which, by-and-by, she will dispose of in a like 

 cocoon. Excuse me a moment ; I must capture this 

 little mother before telling more of her story." 



Taking a paper box from my satchel I opened it, 



placed the two parts on opposite sides of the spider, 



gently approximated them until the body was inside, 

 26 



