Preface xxv 



One would never weary of dipping eagerly 

 into these inexhaustible treasures. We imagine, 

 for instance, that, from seeing cobwebs so fre- 

 quently displayed in all manner of places, we 

 possess adequate notions of the genius and 

 methods of our famihar spiders. Far from it : 

 the realities of scientific observation call for 

 an entire volume crammed with revelations of 

 which we had no conception. I will simply 

 name, at random, the symmetrical arches of 

 the Clotho Spider's nest, the astonishing 

 funicular flight of the young of our Garden 

 Spider, the diving-bell of the Water Spider, the 

 live telephone-wire which connects the web 

 with the leg of the Cross Spider hidden in her 

 parlour and informs her whether the vibration 

 of her toils is due to the capture of a prey or a 

 caprice of the wind. 



9 

 It is impossible, therefore, short of having 

 unlimited space at one's disposal, to do more 

 than touch, as it were with the tip of the 

 phrases, upon the miracles of maternal instinct, 

 which, moreover, are confounded with those 



