Garden Spiders: The Telegraph- Wire 



gether with a few bits of silk. The refuge is 

 deep : the Spider disappears in it entirely, all 

 but her rounded hind-quarters, which bar the 

 entrance to the donjon. 



With her front half plunged into the back 

 of her hut, the Epeira certainly cannot see her 

 web. Even if she had good sight, instead of 

 being purblind, her position could not possibly 

 allow her to keep the prey in view. Does she 

 give up hunting during this period of bright 

 sunlight? Not at all. Look again. 



Wonderful ! One of her hind-legs is 

 stretched outside the leafy cabin; and the 

 signalling-thread ends just at the tip of that 

 leg. Whoso has not seen the Epeira in this 

 attitude, with her hand, so to speak, on the 

 telegraph-receiver, knows nothing of one of 

 the most curious instances of animal clever- 

 ness. Let any game appear upon the scene; 

 and the slumberer, forthwith aroused by means 

 of the leg receiving the vibrations, hastens up. 

 A Locust whom I myself lay on the web pro- 

 cures her this agreeable shock and what fol- 

 lows. If she is satisfied with her bag, I am 

 still more satisfied with what I have learnt. 



The occasion is too good not to find out, 

 under better conditions as regards approach, 

 293 



