A BEAST OF PREY 



57 



or nest, under shelter of a rose-leaf, at a few 

 inches' distance from the centre of the snare ; 

 and in this quiet home it was her habit to rest 

 unseen, under cover of the shady leaf, until prey 

 came within measur- 

 able distance of her 

 sphere of practical 

 politics. But she 

 kept up communi- 

 cations with the seat 

 of war. From the 

 centre of the snare 

 to the nest she had 

 stretched a stout, 

 thick line, along which 

 she could run eas- 

 ily on the slightest 

 indication of a pro- 

 spective victim 

 looming up in the 

 background. More- 

 over, this cable or 

 thread seemed to be 

 connected by its dif- 

 ferent strands with NO. 5. VISCID THREADS, WITH 

 various Darts of the STICKY BEADS ; FOOT AND CLAWS 



OF SPIDER ; SPIDER'S FACE, WITH 

 snare ; at any rate, it JAWS AND POIS ON-FANGS. 



acted as a telegraphic 



communicator between the home, strictly so called, 

 and the place of business. For Rosalind used 

 always to recline at her ease with one hand-like 

 claw placed steadily on the line of communica- 



