The Spiders' Exodus 171 



in my study, under a wire-gauze cover, with 

 small bunches of brushwood as supports ; the 

 other half were experiencing the vicissitudes 

 of open-air life on the rosemaries in the enclosure. 



These preparations, which promised so well, 

 did not provide me with the sight which I ex- 

 pected, namely, a magnificent exodus, worthy 

 of the tabernacle occupied. However, a few 

 results, not devoid of interest, are to be noted. 

 Let us state them briefly. 



The hatching takes place as March ap- 

 proaches. When this time comes, let us open 

 the Banded Epeira's nest with the scissors. 

 We shall find that some of the youngsters have 

 already left the central chamber and scattered 

 over the surrounding eiderdown, while the rest 

 of the laying still consists of a compact mass of 

 orange eggs. The appearance of the young- 

 lings is not simultaneous ; it takes place with 

 intermissions and may last a couple of weeks. 



Nothing as yet suggests the future, richly- 

 striped livery. The abdomen is white and, as 

 it were, floury in the front half ; in the other 

 half it is a blackish-brown. The rest of the 

 body is pale-yellow, except in front, where the 



