﻿SPIDERS. 119 



As the young spider grows, It sheds its skin at short inter- 

 vals of time. If the pupils will examine the young spider 

 soon after it is hatched from the egg, they will find attached 

 to the hinder part of the body the skin which has just been 

 shed. This curious process of shedding the skin, or moulting^ 

 occurs at intervals, till the spider has reached adult size. 



Fig. 114.— The Cast-off Skin of an Adult Spidee. 



110. The cast-off skins of spiders are very common in 

 their webs, and, if the pupils examine any barn-window 

 which is covered w^itli spider's webs, they will be sure to find 

 some of these cast-off skins, like the one represented in Fig, 

 114. 



The mother-spider, generally so timid, overcomes her fear 

 during the time she has the care of her eggs, and w^ith 

 many spiders the egg-cases are directly cared for by the 

 mother, she oftentimes carrying them about w^ith her or hold- 

 ing on to them and showing the greatest solicitude for their 

 safety. Let the pupils try to separate the egg-case from the 

 mother-spider, and they will then learn how courageous the 

 spider is at this time, and how persistently she remains by 

 her eggs. Some species of spiders carry their young on 

 their backs, and move about with them. 



