The Garden Spiders: My Neighbour 



the number of those cross-threads from end to 

 end of the breach; and, though the added 

 piece may not match the rest of the work, at 

 least it will fill the gap and the continuous 

 sheet will be of the same use practically as the 

 regular web.' 



The reality did not answer to my expecta- 

 tion. The spinstress made no further en- 

 deavour all night. She hunted with her riven 

 net, for what it was worth; for I found the 

 web next morning in the same condition 

 wherein I had left it on the night before. 

 There had been no mending of any kind. 



The two threads stretched across the breach 

 even must not be taken for an attempt at 

 repairing. Finding no foothold for her legs 

 on one side, the Spider went to look into the 

 state of things and, in so doing, crossed the 

 rent. In going and returning, she left a 

 thread, as is the custom with all the Epeirae 

 when walking. It was not a deliberate mend- 

 ing, but the mere result of an uneasy change 

 of place. 



Perhaps the subject of my experiment 



thought it unnecessary to go to fresh trouble 



and expense, for the web can serve quite well 



as it is, after my scissor-cut: the two halves 



263 



