The Life of the Spider 



fiose of the Banded and the Angular 

 Epeira. 



At last, at some distance from the centre, 

 on the borders of what I have called the 

 resting-floor, the Spider abruptly terminates 

 her spiral when the space would still allow of 

 a certain number of turns. We shall see the 

 reason of this sudden stop presently. Next, 

 the Epeira, no matter which, young or old, 

 hurriedly flings herself upon the little central 

 cushion, pulls it out and rolls it into a ball 

 which I expected to see thrown away. But 

 no: her thrifty nature does not permit this 

 waste. She eats the cushion, at first an 

 inaugural landmark, then a heap of bits of 

 thread; she once more melts in the digestive 

 crucible what is no doubt intended to be re- 

 stored to the silken treasury. It is a tough 

 mouthful, difficult for the stomach to elabo- 

 rate; still, it is precious and must not be lost. 

 The work finishes with the swallowing. Then 

 and there, the Spider instals herself, head 

 downwards, at her hunting-post in the centre 

 of the web. 



The operation which we have just seen 

 gives rise to a reflection. Men are bom right- 

 handed. Thanks to a lack of symmetry that 

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