I 



COMMENCEMENT OF THE RAINS 75 



Although the spider had not constructed the hole, he 

 had taken so much pains and displayed such skill in its 

 adornment that, ugly as he was, I began to regard him 

 quite with interest. He had lined the entrance of the 

 hole for some short distance with a matting, most 

 elaborately and cleverly constructed, of blades of grass, 

 while the mouth of the hole was protected by a kind of 

 curtain formed of similar materials. I felt quite sorry 

 that out of mere curiosity I should have destroyed all 

 the results of his labour and ingenuity. 



A day or two after I came on the hole of another 

 ground spider, or rather, I should say, another aban- 

 doned hole of a field-mouse of which a ground spider 

 had taken possession. The entrance to this hole was 

 protected by a similar but even more elaborately woven 

 curtain. I gently lifted it. It moved on a fastening 

 at the top, and I perceived the hole behind was not 

 only lined with blades of grass, but that the grass was 

 plastered over with a thin layer of mud. I was 

 anxious to explore the hole to discover the species and 

 appearance of its occupant, but I refrained ; I had 

 not the heart to destroy all that he had been at such 

 pains in constructing. I may mention that I sub- 

 sequently found that many species, both of insects 

 and also of animals, occupy residences which other 

 creatures have constructed. Sometimes the residence 

 has been abandoned by its constructor of his own free 

 will ; sometimes the new occupant has compelled him 

 to vacate it. 



But the insects are not the only creatures which the 

 commencement of the rains has recalled to life and 



