34 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
would take to recover its prey, and the result was very 
interesting, the more so because to get at a fly in such a 
position again would be very difficult, if not almost impossible. 
The spider ran down the thread attached to the fly, and pro- 
ceeded to strengthen it by others, which it fastened high up 
in the web; after this it went down the back of the fly and 
fixed a thread to the extremity of each wing, taking them up 
as before. When this was accomplished two more threads 
were attached to the hind legs, and, lo, the preparations were 
complete ; but the most difficult part of the task remained to 
be accomplished, for the fly, although securely bound, was 
some distance below the web. ‘The little spider was, how- 
ever, equal to the occasion: it drew each thread tighter, and 
slowly hauled up the fly, not only to the ledge, but over it, 
and into the web. A very clever feat, when the great dis- 
parity in size between the spider and its prey is taken into 
consideration. 
Before leaving my workshop I placed another fly in the 
web of the little straw-coloured spider, mentioned above. 
This gave rise to an incident which was both amusing and 
instructive. The little spider ran down and seized its victim 
by the leg, as before, and would no doubt have succeeded in 
effecting another capture, but for a slight interruption, that 
might have been attended with serious results. A much 
larger spider, inhabiting the corner of the window two panes 
removed, had evidently seen the struggle going on, for it 
suddenly darted from its hole, and, rapidly clearing the two 
intervening panes, made for the fly, which it promptly seized. 
This put an end to the fly’s struggles for life, but commenced 
a trial of strength for its possession. The small spider had 
never relaxed its tenacious grip,—not even when the larger 
one had appeared; and it stoutly resisted all efforts to 
deprive it of its prey. Instead of attempting to carry off the 
fly bodily, the large spider attached a thread to it, and then 
tried to drag it away from the little one, but without avail. 
After watching this contest for some little time I was surprised 
to see the invader suddenly relax its efforts, and retreat as 
rapidly as it had come, leaving the little one to secure its 
prey unmolested. 
I then offered two flies in succession to the disappointed 
spider, both of which it seized most eagerly out of my hand; 
