i86 THE WONDERS OF INSTINCT 



Still, the Epeira seems concerned at this excessive out- 

 lay. When circumstances permit, she gladly returns to 

 the mechanism of the revolving spool. I saw her prac- 

 tise this abrupt change of tactics on a big Beetle, with a 

 smooth, plump body, which lent itself admirably to the 

 rotary process. After depriving the beast of all power of 

 movement, she went up to it and turned her corpulent 

 victim as she would have done with a medium-sized 

 Moth. 



But with the Praying Mantis, sticking out her long legs 

 and her spreading wings, rotation is no longer feasible. 

 Then, until the quarry is thoroughly subdued, the spray 

 of bandages goes on continuously, even to the point of 

 drying up the silk glands. A capture of this kind is 

 ruinous. It is true that, except when I interfered, I have 

 never seen the Spider tackle that formidable provender. 



Be it feeble or strong, the game is now neatly trussed, 

 by one of the two methods. The next move never 

 varies. The bound insect is bitten, without persistency 

 and without any wound that shows. The Spider next 

 retires and allows the bite to act, which it soon does. 

 She then returns. 



If the victim be small, a Clothes-moth, for instance, it 

 is consumed on the spot, at the place where it was 

 captured. But, for a prize of some importance, on 

 which she hopes to feast for many an hour, some- 

 times for many a day, the Spider needs a sequestered 

 dining-room, where there is naught to fear from the 

 stickiness of the net work. Before going to it, she first 

 makes her prey turn in the converse direction to that of 



