SPIDERS AND THEIR YOUNG. 245 



the balance of Nature. Most of these therefore have the thorax 

 and abdomen margined with a light colour, which contrasts 

 strongly with that of their bodies, and in many cases gives timely 

 warning of their approach, 



The tropical genera gasteracantha and acrosoma are invested 

 with large angular spines, sticking out of their bodies in every 

 kind of fashion. Temptingly suspended in mid-air in the forest- 

 glades, they would long since have been destroyed by the sharp- 

 sighted birds, if Providence had not effectually protected them 

 by this defensive armour, which prevents them being swallowed 

 with impunity. 



An amazing fecundity and a strong maternal instinct essen- 

 tially contribute to shield the spider race from destruction. The 

 arachnidse are in all other respects extremely unamiable crea- 

 tures, of a morose irascible temper, and utterly insensible to 

 the charms of connubial affection ; but their tenderness for their 

 young brood, the only thing they love on earth, is truly exem- 

 plary, nor will the greatest personal danger ever induce them to 

 forsake their cocoons. When a seizure of this precious burden 

 is threatened, the theridion tumbles together with it to the 

 ground and remains motionless ; while the thorinsa covers it with 

 its body, and when robbed of it wanders about disconsolate. 



Ant el me relates how he once put the maternal fondness of a 

 spider to the test. Having robbed her of the little silken bag 

 in which her infant progeny was contained, he observed how 

 anxiously she ran about, evidently seeking her lost treasure. 

 Her tormentor having restored the bag, she seized it hastily, and 

 endeavoured to escape as fast as she could. But the cruel 

 naturalist, not satisfied with this first experiment on her feelings, 

 robbed her once more, when she again exhibited the same symp- 

 toms of despair. He now reached her small bullets of cotton 

 and bread-crumbs, made to resemble her cocoon, but these were 

 indignantly rejected ; for the heart of a mother is not easily 

 deceived, and the poor spider only regained her tranquillity 

 when she was at length allowed to depart in peace with her 

 recovered treasure. 



Bonnet, an eminent Swiss naturalist of the last century, 

 delivered up the little silken bag of the aranea saccata to that 

 cruel insect the ant-lion, when the distressed mother, far from 

 deserting her charge, made the most extraordinary efforts to 



