6o Flashmc.fits on Xatikk 



tij^er and cobra combined; with the claws of a hoii 

 and the p<)is()n-fan<^s of ;i serpent ; both which she 

 supjilenients by a treaclieroiis snare, itseU a nnion 

 of the net and the bird-hnie trap. No wonder, 

 witli such an armoury, that she has prospered 

 exceecUn^ly in the struj^Lile for existence. And, 

 indeed, you will tind garden spiders wherever you 

 j^o. Tliey are one of the most successful types in 

 creation. 



We watched our Rosalind closely through the 

 whole of a season, it was a curious drama of 

 blood and treachery. For the most part she lay 

 concealed like a secret assassin in lier nest behind 

 the rose-leaf, seldom spreading her net in the sij^ht 

 of the victim ; but sometimes, assuminj^ the role of 

 hij^^hway robber, she would boldly rest in the very 

 centre of her snare, with her head downward, 

 waitinj4 for the approach of casual small insects. 

 At such times, we noticed the larj^er and more in- 

 tellij^ent Hies usually j^ave her a wide berth ; she 

 seldom c.ui^ht bluebottles oi- bees on these occa- 

 sions of open display ; but tiny <fnats and midj^es, 

 less careful or less wise, would ^et entan<4led in her 

 web, and at these she would rush out viciously, 

 suckinj^ them dry then and there, and rejectin;^ 

 their empty skeletons with lordly unconcern. Her 

 appetite was unbounded ; but she ^rew so tjuick, 

 she had so often to remake or repaii" her broken 

 snare, and she was laying bv so constantly for her 

 maternal functions and her eis^ht hundred ej^j^js, 

 that this did not surprise us. 'i'he web, indeed, 

 was often torn by wasps oi large Hies out of all 



