The Pamily 127 



number of foundlings, if the dimensions of her 

 back afforded them a firm hold. Let us be 

 content with this. Let us restore each family 

 to its mother, drawing at random from the 

 lot. There must necessarily be interchanges, 

 but that is of no importance : real children and 

 adopted children are the same thing in the 

 Lycosa's eyes. 



One would like to know if, apart from my 

 artifices, in circumstances where I do not inter- 

 fere, the good-natured dry-nurse sometimes 

 burdens herself with a supplementary family ; 

 it would also be interesting to learn what comes 

 of this association of lawful offspring and 

 strangers. I have ample materials wherewith 

 to obtain an answer to both questions. I have 

 housed in the same cage two elderly matrons 

 laden with youngsters. Each has her home 

 as far removed from the other's as the size of 

 the common pan permits. The distance is 

 nine inches or more. It is not enough. Prox- 

 imity soon kindles fierce jealousies between 

 those intolerant creatures, who are obliged to 

 live far apart, so as to secure adequate hunting- 

 grounds. 



