178 NATURE STUDIES. 



rash, in provoking such an enemy, and hurried back 

 to his own web. When his opponent saw him on his 

 thin line in his retreat, he again set himself to his 

 shaking fit, and made the most violent efforts to throw 

 him down ; it was all in vain, however, and he got 

 safe home. After a moment's consideration, the 

 other seemed to think that so audacious an attempt 

 ought to be condignly punished, and he determined 

 to retort the invasion. The thin lines of his diminu- 

 tive antagonist, however, did not afford a sufficient 

 support for his heavy bulk, and as he advanced, he 

 carefully spun a strengthener upon the other's tenuous 

 cord. It was now the little one's turn to shake off 

 the intruder, and twice did he break the thin part of 

 the line, and leave his enemy dangling. At last, the 

 latter gave up the attempt, and went back to the 

 centre of his own web, after carefully detaching every- 

 one of the lines which his neighbour had had the 

 impudence to fasten to his long diagonal/' 



In this case we seem to recognise on both sides 

 reasoning which approaches at times the abstract. 

 In the calculation of means to an end, and change of 

 plan in consequence of unexpected obstacles, there is 

 practical reasoning. As Wigan well says, " Had the 

 human race spun webs, and dared one another to 

 single combat, they could not well have shown mor& 

 judgment and skill in the attack and defence." The 

 strengthening of the lines to bear the shaking, and 

 doubling the smaller spider's lines while using them 

 as lines of advance, belonged also to the order of 



