' The Narbonne Lycosa: The Family 



legs she holds the white pill, bulging with 

 germs, lifted above the entrance; gently she 

 turns and returns it, so as to present every side 

 to the life-giving rays. And this goes on for 

 half the day, as long as the temperature is 

 high; and it is repeated daily, with exquisite 

 patience, during three or four weeks. To 

 hatch its eggs, the bird covers them with the 

 quilt of its breast; it strains them to the fur- 

 nace of its heart. The Lycosa turns hers in 

 front of the hearth of hearths: she gives them 

 the sun as an incubator. 



In the early days of September, the young 

 ones, who have been some time hatched, are 

 ready to come out. The pill rips open along 

 the middle fold. We read of the origin of 

 this fold in an earlier chapter. 1 Does the 

 mother, feeling the brood quicken inside the 

 satin wrapper, herself break open the vessel at 

 the opportune moment? It seems probable. 

 On the other hand, there may be a spontaneous 

 bursting, such as we shall see later in the 

 Banded Epeira's balloon, a tough wallet which 

 opens a breach of its own accord, long after 

 the mother has ceased to exist. 



1 Chapter III. of the present volume. Translator's 

 Note, 



155 



