72 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



again tumbled her to the bottom, and the ant- 

 lion, more nimble than the first time, seized the 

 bag of eggs with his jaws, and attempted to drag 

 it under the sand. The spider, on the other hand, 

 made the most strenuous efforts to keep her hold, 

 and struggled hard to defeat the aim of the con- 

 cealed depredator; but the gum which fastened 

 her bag not being calculated to withstand such 

 violence, at length gave way, and the ant-lion was 

 about to carry off the prize in triumph. The 

 spider, however, instantly regained it with her 

 jaws, and redoubled her efforts to snatch the bag 

 from the enemy; but her efforts were vain, for 

 the ant-lion being the stronger, succeeded in 

 dragging it under the sand. The unfortunate 

 mother, now robbed of her eggs, might at least 

 have saved her own life, as she could easily have 

 escaped out of the pitfall ; but wonderful to tell, 

 she chose rather to be buried alive along with her 

 eggs. As the sand concealed from my view what 

 was passing below, I laid hold of the spider, 

 leaving the bag in the power of the ant-lion. But 

 the affectionate mother, deprived of her bag, 

 would not quit the spot where she had lost it, 

 though I repeatedly pushed her with a twig. Life 



