xix. SPIDERS. 285 



away; the glance seemed to excite him, and he at once 

 moved towards her ; when some four inches from her he 

 stood still, and then began the most remarkable perform- 

 ances that a love-lorn male could offer to an admiring 

 female. She eyed him eagerly, changing her position 

 from time to time, so that he might be always in view. 

 He, raising his whole body on one side by straightening 

 out the legs, and lowering it on the other by folding the 

 first two pairs of legs up and under, leaned so far over as 

 to be in danger of losing his balance, which he only main- 

 tained by sidling rapidly towards the lowered side. The 

 palpus, too, on this side was turned back to correspond 

 to the direction of the legs nearest it. He moved in a 

 semi-circle for about two inches, and then instantly 

 reversed the position of the legs, and circled in the oppo- 

 site direction, gradually approaching nearer and nearer to 

 the female. Now she dashes towards him, while he rais- 

 ing his first pair of legs, extends them upward and forward 

 as if feo hold her off, but withal slowly retreats. Again 

 and again he circles from side to side, she gazing towards 

 him in a softer mood, evidently admiring the grace of his 

 antics. This is repeated until we have counted a hundred 

 and eleven circles made by the ardent little male. Now 

 he approaches nearer and nearer, and when almost within 

 reach whirls madly around and around her, she joining 

 and whirling with him in a giddy maze. 



Thus you see not all fair young spinsters (how appro- 

 priate this sounds) among spiders endeavour to eat their 

 swains. Some at least are pleased to join them in a waltz. 



I have told you what American men of science have 

 taught us about spiders. Let me quote in conclusion 

 what an American poet (a genuine poet, though strange 

 withal in dress and diction) teaches through the noiseless 

 patient spider. 



