68 The Life of the Spider 



the bird's claws and inserted, all fleecy, into the 

 meshes of the canvas. The beak pushes it, the 

 breast presses it, both inside and out. The 

 result is a soft felt a couple of inches thick. 



Near the top of the pouch, on one side, is 

 contrived a narrow orifice, tapering into a 

 short neck. This is the kitchen-door. In order 

 to pass through it, the Penduline, small though 

 he be, has to force the elastic partition, which 

 yields slightly and then contracts. Lastly, the 

 house is furnished with a mattress of first- 

 quality cotton. Here lie from six to eight white 

 eggs, the size of a cherry-stone. 



Well, this wonderful nest is a barbarous 

 casemate compared with that of the Banded 

 Epeira. As regards shape, this stocking-foot 

 cannot be mentioned in the same breath with 

 the Spider's elegant and faultlessly -rounded 

 balloon. The fabric of mixed cotton and tow 

 is a rustic frieze beside the spinstress' satin ; 

 the suspension-straps are clumsy cables com- 

 pared with her delicate silk fastenings. Where 

 shall we find in the Penduline's mattress aught 

 to vie with the Epeira's eiderdown, that teazled 

 russet gossamer ? The Spider is superior to 



