^ THE TENANTS PREPABINO FOR WINTER. 21 



lightly pressed the struggling legs until they too were 

 pulled within, then closed the box and put it in my 

 pocket (Fig. 6.) 



f. 



FIG. 6. — "collecting a specimen." 



"Isn't that cruel?" abruptly asked my companion, 

 who had watched the process of "collecting a speci- 

 men " with curious eye. 



" Cruel ? ^0. I should be sorry to give needless 

 pain to any creature ; nor do I feel entitled to use my 

 lordship over the life of the humblest insect except for a 

 sutficient and benevolent end. As a priest in the temple 

 of IN^ature I may dedicate this victim to Science. I shall 

 see that she has a painless death. Moreover, her days 

 are already numbered by the irrevocable decree of 

 N'ature ; after the spinning of a cocoon the mother- 

 spider hangs u,pon it or near it for a few days, and then 

 dies." 



" I have noticed," remarked Abby, plainly not quite 

 satisfied that I had made out a good case, but willins; to 



