UNDER THE BARK. 48 



which spread themselves in fan-like rays, and almost 

 rival the silken insect tents in whiteness. Now and 

 then comes a circular tent, through which can be seen 

 a quantity of little yellow globular objects. The 

 character of the silk tells us that the nest is certai-nly 

 that of a spider, and we just pull off a little of the 

 cover to get a better view of the eggs. Scarcely has 

 the tip of the forceps stretched the silken roof than a 

 simultaneous stir becomes apparent through the eggs, 

 and all at once they suddenly start into life, unpacking 

 in some mysterious way the limbs which had been 

 folded round their globular bodies, and all running 

 about as busily and aimlessly as the inhabitants of a 

 disturbed ants' nest. In fact, the seeming eggs are not 

 eggs at all, but very young spiders which have only 

 just been hatched and are waiting for warmer weather 

 before they make their appearance in the world. 



This same space between the bark and the wood is 

 a favourite resort of many moth-caterpillars. Led by 

 instinct they proceed to the tree and climb up the 

 bark, seeking for some recess in which to pass their 

 short period of helpless existence. In comparatively 

 young trees they content themselves with the cre^ice8 

 formed by the rugged and knotty bark, but in old 

 trees, such as have been described, they manage to 

 discover some aperture through which they crawl into 

 the large sheltered space and there spin their silken 

 home. Careful investigation shows that, however safe 

 such a retreat may be for the insect while in its pupa 



E 2 



