158 THE WONDERS OF INSTINCT 



the following improving sight. In the morning, as soon 

 as the sun is hot and beats upon their burrow, the anchor- 

 ites come up from the bottom with their bag and station 

 themselves at the opening. Long siestas on the threshold 

 in the sun are the order of the day throughout the fine 

 season; but, at the present time, the position adopted is 

 a different one. Formerly, the Lycosa came out into 

 the sun for her own sake. Leaning on the parapet, she 

 had the front half of her body outside the pit and the 

 hinder half inside. The eyes took their fill of light; 

 the belly remained in the dark. When carrying her egg- 

 bag, the spider reverses the posture: the front is in the 

 pit, the rear outside. With her hind-legs she holds 

 the white pill bulging with germs lifted above the en- 

 trance; gently she turns and turns it, so as to present 

 every side to the life-giving rays. And this goes on for 

 half the day, so long as the temperature is high; and it 

 is repeated daily, with exquisite patience, during three 

 or four weeks. To hatch its eggs, the bird covers them 

 with the quilt of its breast; it strains them to the furnace 

 of its heart. The Lycosa turns hers in front of the 

 hearth of hearths : she gives them the sun as an incubator. 



In the early days of September the young ones, who 

 have been some time hatched, are ready to come out. 



The whole family emerges from the bag straightway. 

 Then and there, the youngsters climb to the mother's 

 back. As for the empty bag, now a worthless shred, it 

 is flung out of the burrow; the Lycosa does not give it 

 a further thought. Huddled together, sometimes in two 

 or three layers, according to their number, the little ones 



