The Life of the Spider 



ascensional force of the thread and the weight 

 carried Then the beastie remains stationary-, 

 although continuing to climb. 



Presently, the weight becomes too much 

 for the shorter and shorter float; and the 

 Spider slips down, in spite of her persistent 

 forward striving. She is at last brought 

 back to the branch by the falling thread- 

 Here the ascent Is soon renewed, either 

 on a fresh thread, if the supply of silk 

 be not yet exhausted, or on a strange 

 thread, the work of those who have gone 

 before. 



As a rule, the ceiling is reached. It is twelve 

 feet high. The little Spider is able, there- 

 fore, as the first product of her spinning-miU, 

 before taking any refreshment, to obtain a line 

 fuUy twelve feet in length. And aU this, the 

 rope-maker and her rope, was contained in the 

 egg, a particle of no size at all. To what a 

 degree of fineness can the silky matter be 

 wrought wherewith the young Spider is prc>- 

 vided! Our manufacturers are able to turn 

 out platinum-wire that can only be seen when 

 it is made red-hot. With much simpler means 

 the Spiderling draws from her wire-mill 

 threads so delicate that even the brilliant light 



