208 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 



the approach of danger, and in unfavorable 

 weather. 



The largest and most beautiful spider of this 

 kind I ever saw, made her web in our garden 

 some years ago. Her body was as large as a 

 small nutmeg, and beautifully marked with yel- 

 low and black ; and her legs were so long, that 

 when standing, they covered a space of three 

 inches in diameter. 



The web was unusually large, and very 

 beautifully and regularly formed. As the spi- 

 der sat in the centre, watching for her prey, my 

 brothers occasionally threw a grasshopper into 

 the net, which she eagerly seized, and holding it 

 firmly with her forefeet, threw out a web, which, 

 as it issued from her body, looked like a silken 

 band about an eighth of an inch in width ; with 

 this she quickly stopped the struggles of her 

 prisoner, wrapping him up in it entirely. 



Our spider was considered so great a curiosity 

 that she had many visitors, some of whom put 

 her disposition to a severe trial by poking at her 

 with a stick; when she would make a sudden 

 spring towards them, and manifest her displea- 

 sure by the violent shaking of her web. 



