The Life of the Spider 



It is unnecessary to go over the construc- 

 tion of the masterpiece again; the younger 

 Spiders have taught us enough in this respect. 

 In both cases, we see the same equidistant 

 radii laid, with a central landmark for a 

 guide; the same auxiliary spiral, the scaffold- 

 ing of temporary rungs, soon doomed to dis- 

 appear; the same snaring-spiral, with its maze 

 of closely-woven coils. Let us pass on : other 

 details call for our attention. 



The laying of the. snaring-spiral is an ex- 

 ceedingly delicate operation, because of the 

 regularity of the work. I was bent upon 

 knowing whether, if subjected to the din of 

 unaccustomed sounds, the Spider would 

 hesitate and blunder. Does she work imper- 

 turbably? Or does she need undisturbed 

 quiet? As it is, I know that my presence and 

 that of my light hardly trouble her at all. 

 The sudden flashes emitted by my lantern 

 have no power to distract her from her task. 

 She continues to turn in the light even as she 

 turned in the dark, neither faster nor slower. 

 This is a good omen for the experiment which 

 I have in view. 



The first Sunday in August is the feast of 

 the patron saint of the village, commemorat- 

 256 



