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  down 
  with 
  lightning-like 
  rapidity, 
  driven 
  through 
  the 
  silken 
  

   walls 
  of 
  the 
  nest 
  and 
  into 
  the 
  thorax 
  of 
  the 
  fly, 
  which 
  was 
  

   "fiercely 
  held 
  fast"; 
  then 
  came 
  the 
  tug-of-war, 
  and 
  both 
  

   spider 
  and 
  fly 
  disappeared, 
  but 
  were 
  afterwards 
  shown 
  at 
  the 
  

   bottom 
  of 
  the 
  tube. 
  The 
  following 
  picture 
  showed 
  the 
  spider 
  

   mending 
  the 
  hole 
  at 
  the 
  top, 
  and 
  afterwards 
  holding 
  on 
  to 
  

   the 
  inside 
  with 
  jaws 
  and 
  claws 
  to 
  prevent 
  intruders 
  disturbing 
  

   her. 
  The 
  male 
  spider 
  Avas 
  next 
  seen 
  on 
  the 
  outside 
  engaged 
  

   in 
  performing 
  a 
  serenade 
  to 
  his 
  lady-love, 
  who 
  did 
  not 
  mistake 
  

   her 
  lover 
  for 
  a 
  fly. 
  The 
  male 
  soon 
  tears 
  a 
  hole 
  in 
  the 
  tube 
  

   and 
  boldly 
  enters, 
  and 
  dwells 
  with 
  the 
  female 
  for 
  at 
  least 
  six 
  

   months, 
  after 
  which 
  she 
  kills 
  him, 
  sucks 
  his 
  body 
  dry, 
  and 
  

   throws 
  his 
  skin 
  out 
  from 
  the 
  top 
  of 
  the 
  tube. 
  

  

  Mr. 
  Enock 
  stated 
  that 
  the 
  female 
  then 
  proceeds 
  to 
  spin 
  a 
  

   beautiful 
  hammock 
  of 
  eggs, 
  which 
  she 
  hangs 
  up 
  across 
  the 
  

   cavity 
  prepared 
  for 
  it, 
  and 
  out 
  of 
  all 
  harms 
  way 
  in 
  the 
  upper 
  

   side 
  of 
  the 
  tube. 
  The 
  eggs 
  soon 
  hatch, 
  and 
  the 
  young 
  spiders 
  

   are 
  fostered 
  by 
  the 
  mother 
  until 
  the 
  warm 
  days 
  of 
  April 
  induce 
  

   them 
  to 
  force 
  a 
  small 
  hole 
  in 
  the 
  top 
  of 
  the 
  tube 
  and 
  make 
  

   their 
  escape. 
  The 
  closing 
  picture, 
  showed 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  these 
  

   young 
  spiders, 
  some 
  just 
  crawling 
  from 
  the 
  hole, 
  others 
  

   hanging 
  and 
  enjoying 
  a 
  swing, 
  several 
  had 
  ascended 
  to 
  the 
  

   liighest 
  points 
  and 
  ejected 
  a 
  few 
  threads, 
  which 
  were 
  quickly 
  

   caught 
  by 
  the 
  wind, 
  which 
  in 
  a 
  short 
  time 
  wafted 
  the 
  tiny 
  

   aeronauts 
  to 
  pastures 
  fresh 
  and 
  new 
  ; 
  others 
  had 
  commenced 
  

   life 
  on 
  their 
  own 
  account, 
  by 
  forming 
  minute 
  purse-webs 
  or 
  

   tubes 
  similar 
  in 
  every 
  respect 
  to 
  the 
  one 
  from 
  which 
  they 
  had 
  

   escaped 
  but 
  a 
  few 
  hours 
  before. 
  A 
  discussion 
  followed, 
  in 
  

   which 
  Dr. 
  Sharp, 
  Mr. 
  C. 
  0. 
  Waterhouse, 
  Mr. 
  G. 
  C. 
  Champion, 
  

   the 
  Eev. 
  A. 
  E. 
  Eaton, 
  Mr. 
  P. 
  Crowley, 
  and 
  others 
  took 
  part. 
  

  

  December 
  2, 
  1891, 
  

  

  The 
  Eight 
  Hon. 
  Lord 
  Walsingham, 
  M.A., 
  LL.D., 
  F.K.S., 
  

  

  Vice-President, 
  in 
  the 
  chair. 
  

  

  Donations 
  to 
  the 
  Library 
  were 
  announced 
  and 
  thanks 
  voted 
  

   to 
  the 
  respective 
  donors, 
  

  

  