219 



Her method is nevertheless very simple, but much 

 more ingenious. She stretches out her long legs behind 

 her, crosses them, and by thus forming an angle of them, 

 receives the first egg, and holds it at pleasure. A se- 

 cond C2jg is soon placed next the first ; then a third, 

 fourth, &c. The base of the pyramid thus widens by 

 little and little, and at length is capable of sustaining 

 itself. 



Some species glue their eggs with great symmetry 

 and propriety round the branches or small shoots of 

 trees, like rings or circles. One would be apt to say, 

 that some skilful hand had been diverting itself in fitting 

 pearl bracelets on the sprigs. A caterpillar, which, from 

 the distribution of its colours, is called livery, trans- 

 forms itself into a butterfly, that disposes her eggs in 

 this manner, and forms these pretty bracelets of them. 



Other butterflies do still more : they strip themselves 

 of their hair, and make with it a kind of nest for their 

 eggs, where they lie soft and warm. Such in particular 

 is the industrious workmanship of the butterfly, proceed- 

 ing from that called the common caterpillar, because it 

 is in fact most common in these countries. 



4. Certain species are so attached to .their eggs, that 

 they carry them about with them every where. The 

 wolf spider encloses her's in a little silk purse, which she 

 bears on her hind-part. Does any one destroy it, or 

 take it from her? Her natural vivacity and agility aban- 

 don her : she seems to fall into a kind of languor. Has 

 she the happiness to recover the precious trust ? She in- 

 stantly seizes it, carries it away, and betakes herself to 

 flight. As soon as the little spiders are hatched, they 

 collect and arrange themselves skilfully on the back of 

 their dam, who continues for some time to bestow her 

 attention on them, and to transport them with her 

 wherever she goes. 



Another spider lodges her eggs in a little silk purse, 

 which she wraps up in a leaf. She fixes herself on this 



VOL. iv. i 



