The Burrow 95 



When she reaches maturity and is once 

 settled, the Lycosa becomes eminently domes- 

 ticated. I have been living in close com- 

 munion with her for the last three years. I 

 have installed her in large earthen pans on the 

 window-sills of my study and I have her daily 

 under my eyes. Well, it is very rarely that I 

 happen on her outside, a few inches from her 

 hole, back to which she bolts at the least alarm. 



We may take it, then, that, when not in 

 captivity, the Lycosa does not go far afield to 

 gather the wherewithal to build her parapet 

 and that she makes shift with what she finds 

 upon her threshold. In these conditions, the 

 building-stones are soon exhausted and the 

 masonry ceases for lack of materials. 



The wish came over me to see what dimen- 

 sions the circular edifice would assume, if 

 the Spider were given an unlimited supply. 

 With captives to whom I myself act as purveyor 

 the thing is easy enough. Were it only with a 

 view to helping whoso may one day care to 

 continue these relations with the big Spider of 

 the waste-lands, let me describe how my 

 subjects are housed. 



