58 FLASHLIGHTS ON NATURE 



tion ; thus seated, she would watch with cat-like 

 stealth for any chance of a victim. The moment 

 a fly touched the snare, however lightly, it would 

 set up a slight tremor of movement in the indi- 

 cating thread ; and, quick as lightning, informed 

 by touch of its whereabouts, out Rosalind would 

 dart, ready to go straight to the spot and suck 

 that luckless creature's life-blood. 



Besides, the bigger the fly or bee, the harder it 

 was likely to struggle ; and Rosalind noted well, 

 before starting, the comparative extent to which 

 the line was convulsed, and governed herself ac- 

 cordingly. If a big bumble-bee or wasp fell per- 

 adventure into her coils, he plunged exceedingly ; 

 and Rosalind, prudently aware of the expected 

 sting, approached the dangerous prey with marked 

 reserve and caution. But when it was only a 

 harmless small fly that struggled in the net, she 

 rushed forth from her lair as bold as brass, seized 

 the body with claws and jaws, and sucked the 

 poor thing dry in less than a minute. Then she 

 flung away its empty skin, or cut it contemptuously 

 out of the web it had injured. 



A glance at the second figure in No. 5 will 

 show how admirably the spider's foot is adapted 

 for all these various purposes. Adaptation could 

 hardly go further. The spider has claws with 

 which she can hold her web like a hand ; and 

 she has also sharp nails which aid her not a little 

 in manipulating her prey and her web. But she 

 has more than all these : the claws themselves, 

 you will note, are provided with toothed or comh 



