The Climbing-Instinct 139 



the citadel. All, with not one exception, make 

 for the heights, instead of roaming on the 

 ground, as might reasonably be expected from 

 the eminently earthly habits of the Lycosae ; 

 all ascend the dome, a strange procedure whereof 

 I do not yet guess the object. 



I receive a hint from the upright ring that 

 finishes the top of the cage. The youngsters 

 hurry to it. It represents the porch of their 

 gymnasium. They hang out threads across the 

 opening ; they stretch others from the ring to the 

 nearest points of the trellis- work. On these foot- 

 bridges, they perform slack-rope exercises amid 

 endless comings and goings. The tiny legs open 

 out from time to time and straddle as though 

 to reach the most distant points. I begin to 

 realize that they are acrobats aiming at loftier 

 heights than those of the dome. 



I top the trellis with a branch that doubles 

 the attainable height. The bustling crowd 

 hastily scrambles up it, reaches the tip of the 

 topmost twigs and thence sends out threads 

 that attach themselves to every surrounding 

 object. These form so many suspension- 

 bridges ; and my beasties nimbly run along 



