INTELLIGENCE IN ANUIALS. 



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it, and having done so in four or five places, pro- 

 ceeded to spin his own web. My older friend tolerated 

 the intrusion very patiently, and acquiesced in the 

 use his neighbour was making of the " party wall/' 

 though against spider law. By-and-by the newcomer, 

 having partly fitted up his own trap, and finding that 

 no flies came into it, observing, I presume, the ample 

 supply of food in his neighbour's premises, advanced 

 along one of his own lines, seemingly for the purpose 

 of open burglary. My old friend had tolerated much, 

 but this was a degree of impudence for which he was 

 not prepared, and which he determined to punish 

 forthwith. He proceeded to the centre of his web, 

 and giving the whole framework a violent shake, 

 hoped to shake the intruder down upon the ground. 

 He did no more, however, than turn him round on 

 the line, where he hung very patiently till the shaking 

 ceased, and then resumed his march towards his 

 neighbour's territory. Again and again, and with 

 increasing violence, did the large spider shake his 

 web it was all in vain; there was the enemy 

 advancing, and though so small as to be easily over- 

 powered, should he reach the mainland, the insult of 

 the attempt was intolerable. On looking round, my 

 elder friend saw that, during the violent shakes, he 

 had broken two or three of his own short lines, and 

 he left his opponent and set himself to work to mend 

 them. Having completed the task to his perfect 

 satisfaction, he returned to the burglar. The latter, 

 when he came near, saw at once that he had been 



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