THE EPEIRA'S BRIDGE 11 :J 



hunters of big game, of green or blue damsel-flies 

 that frequent the water-courses, of butterflies, and 

 ilies. They stretch their web vertically be- 

 tween two trees and even from one bank of a stream 

 to the other. Let us examine this last case. 



"An epeira has found a good place for hunting: 

 the dragon-flies, or blue and green damsel-flies, 

 conic and -o from one tuft of reeds to another, some- 

 times going up, sometimes down the stream. Along 

 its course are butterflies also, and horse-flies, or 

 < i flies that suck blood from cattle. The site is 

 a good one. Now, then, to work! The epeira 

 climbs to the top of a willow at the water's edge. 

 There it matures its plan, an audacious one, the ex- 

 ecution of which seems impossible. A suspension 

 bridge, a cable which serves as support for the fu- 

 ture web, must be stretched from one bank to the 

 other. And observe, children, that the spider can- 

 not cross the stream by swimming; it would perish 

 1\ drowning if it ventured into the water. It must 

 >t ivtrh its cable, its bridge, from the top of its 

 branch without changing place. Never has an en- 

 gineer found himself in such difficulties. What will 

 the little creature do? Put your heads together, 

 children; I am waiting for your ideas." 



"Build a bridge from one side to the other, 

 without crossing the water or moving away from its 

 : If the spider can do that it is cleverer than 

 I am." Thus spoke Jules. 



"Than I, too," chimed in his brother. 

 'If I did not already know," said Claire, "since 

 you have just told us, that the spider does accom- 



