282 The Life of the Spider 



The Epeira, therefore, does not incontinently 

 kill her prey with her deUcate bite ; she poisons 

 it so as to produce a gradual weakness, which 

 gives the blood-sucker ample time to drain her 

 victim, without the least risk, before the 

 rigor mortis stops the flow of moisture. 



The meal lasts quite twenty-four hours, if the 

 joint be large ; and to the very end the 

 butchered insect retains a remnant of life, a 

 favourable condition for the exhausting of the 

 juices. Once again, we see a skilful method of 

 slaughter, very different from the tactics in use 

 among the expert paralyzers or slayers. Here 

 there is no display of anatomical science. Un- 

 acquainted with the patient's structure, the 

 Spider stabs at random. The virulence of the 

 poison does the rest. 



There are, however, some very few cases in 

 which the bite is speedily mortal. My notes 

 speak of an Angular Epeira grappling with the 

 largest Dragon-fly in my district [Mshna 

 grandis, Lin.). I myself had entangled in the 

 web this head of big game, which is not often 

 captured by the Epeirae. The net shakes 

 violently, seems bound to break its moorings. 



