My Neighbour 231 



They have as their guide their sense, which 

 measures the holes, cuts the new piece to size 

 and fits it into its proper place. Does the 

 Spider possess the counterpart of this habit of 

 clear thinking ? 



People declare as much, without, apparently, 

 looking into the matter very closely. They 

 seem able to dispense with the conscientious 

 observer's scruples, when inflating their bladder 

 of theory. They go straight ahead ; and that is 

 enough. As for ourselves, less greatly daring, 

 we will first enquire ; we will see by experi- 

 ment if the Spider really knows how to repair 

 her work. 



The Angular Epeira, that near neighbour who 

 has already supplied me with so many docu- 

 ments, has just finished her web, at nine o'clock 

 in the evening. It is a splendid night, calm and 

 warm, favourable to the rounds of the Moths. 

 All promises good hunting. At the moment 

 when, after completing the great spiral, the 

 Epeira is about to eat the central cushion and 

 settle down upon her resting-fioor, I cut the web 

 in two, diagonally, with a pair of sharp scissors. 

 The sagging of the spokes, deprived of their 



