A SPIDER'S MOTHER'S LOVE. 71 



treasure with more tenacious solicitude than this 

 spider to her bag. Though apparently a con- 

 siderable incumbrance, she carries it with her 

 everywhere." M. Bonnet found that he could 

 not beat away the affectionate creature from her 

 treasure, and on forcibly removing it from her she 

 instantly lost her ferocious aspect and became tame. 

 In this emergency she stops to look around her, 

 and begins to walk at a slow pace, and searches dili- 

 gently on every side for her lost eggs, nor will she 

 fly if threatened by the bystander. If, however, 

 out of compassion, the bag is restored to her, she 

 darts forward, catches it up with all the intensity 

 of a mother's love, and runs away with it as fast 

 as possible to some secret place where she may 

 again have the opportunity of attaching it to her 

 body. In order to put this insect's affection for 

 her eggs to a test, M. Bonnet threw a spider with 

 her bag into the den of a ferocious insect, called 

 an ant-lion, who lurks at the bottom, like the 

 Giant in the " Pilgrim's Progress," waiting for 

 poor insect-travellers to drop into the pit which 

 it forms, and then, rushing out, devours them. 

 " The spider endeavoured to escape, and w r as 

 eagerly remounting the side of the pit, when I 



