234 T^^^ ^tf^ of the Spider 



Next day, the web is renewed, after the old 

 one has been swallowed. When the work is 

 done and the Epeira seated motionless at her 

 central post, I take a straw and, wielding it 

 dexterously, so as to respect the resting-floor 

 and the spokes, I pull and root up the spiral, 

 which dangles in tatters. With its snaring- 

 threads ruined, the net is useless; no passing 

 Moth would allow herself to be caught. Now 

 what does the Epeira do in the face of this 

 disaster ? Nothing at all. Motionless on her 

 resting-floor, which I have left intact, she awaits 

 the capture of the game ; she awaits it all night 

 in vain on her impotent web. In the morning, 

 I find the snare as I left it. Necessity, the 

 mother of invention, has not prompted the 

 Spider to make a slight repair in her ruined 

 toils. 



Possibly this is asking too much of her 

 resources. The silk-glands may be exhausted 

 after the laying of the great spiral ; and to 

 repeat the same expenditure immediately is out 

 of the question. I want a case wherein there 

 could be no appeal to any such exhaustion. I 

 obtain it, thanks to my assiduity. 



