THE SPIDER-HUNTERS 



had spread its web just below, and if the wasp should 

 drop upon it nothing could save her. We therefore 

 aroused her gently, whereupon she crept slowly up the 

 stem and, taking her stand on the highest point, sur- 

 veyed the world. Then, after stretching herself sleepily, 

 she made her toilet, cleaning off her wings and legs, 

 and washing her face with her feet like a cat. When 

 these duties were finished she walked slowly about for 

 an hour, visiting her nest every now and then. Sud- 

 denly, at half past nine o'clock, her whole manner 

 changed, and seeming very much excited she ran rapidly 

 along, parallel with the fence, for fifteen or twenty feet, 

 and then, rising on her wings, flew far away into the 

 woods. She had evidently gone hunting at last, and 

 we watched eagerly for her return. She was not suc- 

 cessful at once, however, for at half past ten she came 

 back without anything, stayed at the nest for a few 

 minutes, and then flew to the woods again with the 

 same excited manner as before. Perhaps she had al- 

 ready caught her spider at some far distant spot, and 

 was getting her bearings preparatory to bringing it 

 home ; but it was half past one when she suddenly ap- 

 peared, five or six inches from the nest, coming back- 

 ward through the fence, and dragging a large Lycosid. 

 This she laid down close by, and began to bite at the 

 237 



