My Neighbour 235 



While I am watching the roUing of the spiral, 

 a head of game rushes full tilt into the un- 

 finished snare. The Epeira interrupts her work, 

 hurries to the giddy-pate, swathes him and takes 

 her fill of him where he lies. During the 

 struggle, a section of the web has torn under the 

 weaver's very eyes. A great gap endangers 

 the satisfactory working of the net. What will 

 the spider do in the presence of this grievous 

 rent ? 



Now or never is the time to repair the broken 

 threads : the accident has happened this very 

 moment, between the animal's legs ; it is 

 certainly known and, moreover, the rope-works 

 are in full swing. This time there is no question 

 of the exhaustion of the silk-warehouse. 



Well, under these conditions, so favourable to 

 darning, the Epeira does no mending at all. 

 She flings aside her prey, after taking a few sips 

 at it, and resumes her spiral at the point where 

 she interrupted it to attack the Moth. The 

 torn part remains as it is. The machine-shuttle 

 in our looms does not revert to the spoiled 

 fabric ; even so with the Spider working at her 

 web. 



