3i8 The Life of the Spider 



make a long stay to watch over the brood. The 

 size is nearly that of a Hen's egg. The cabin 

 is open at either end. The front-entrance 

 broadens into a gallery ; the back-entrance 

 tapers into a funnel-neck. I fail to see the 

 object of this neck. As for the opening in 

 front, which is wider, this is, beyond a doubt, 

 a victualling-door. I see the Spider, at inter- 

 vals, standing here on the look-out for the 

 Locust, whom she consumes outside, taking 

 care not to soil the spotless sanctuary with 

 corpses. 



The structure of the nest is not without a 

 certain similarity to that of the home occupied 

 during the hunting-season. The passage at the 

 back represents the funnel-neck that ran almost 

 down to the ground and afforded an outlet for 

 flight in case of grave danger. The one in 

 front, expanding into a mouth kept wide open 

 by cords stretched backwards and forwards, 

 recalls the yawning gulf into which the victims 

 used to fall. Every part of the old dwelling is 

 repeated : even the labyrinth, though this, it 

 is true, is on a much smaller scale. In front of 

 the bell-shaped mouth is a tangle of threads 



