The Life of the Spider 



of the legs, those soiled shreds are cast aside. 

 Briefly, by means of violent tugs of the 

 fangs, which pull, and broom-like efforts of 

 the legs, which clear away, the Lycosa extri- 

 cates the bag of eggs and removes it as a 

 clear-cut mass free from any adhesion. 



It is a white-silk pill, soft to the touch and 

 glutinous. Its size is that of an average 

 cherry. An observant eye will notice, run- 

 ning horizontally around the middle, a fold 

 which a needle is able to raise without break- 

 ing it. This hem, generally undistinguish- 

 able from the rest of the surface, is none 

 other than the edge of the circular mat, 

 drawn over the lower hemisphere. The other 

 hemisphere, through which the youngsters 

 will go out, is less well fortified : its only wrap- 

 per is the texture spun over the eggs imme- 

 diately after they were laid. 



Inside, there is nothing but the eggs: no 

 mattress, no soft eiderdown, like that of the 

 Epeirae. The Lycosa, indeed, has no need to 

 guard her eggs against the inclemencies of the 

 winter, for the hatching will take place long 

 before the cold weather comes. Similarly, 

 the Thomisus, with her early brood, takes 

 good care not to incur useless expenditure : 



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