The Life of the Spider 



ployed. With a quick movement, the Spider 

 herself turns round about the motionless in- 

 sect, crossing the web first at the top and then 

 at the bottom and gradually placing the fasten- 

 ings of her line. The great elasticity- of the 

 lime-threads allows the Epeira to fling herself 

 time after time right into the web and to pass 

 through it vrithout: damaging the net. 



Let us now suppose the case of some danger- 

 ous game : a Praying Mantis, for instance, 

 brandishing her lethal limbs, each hooked and 

 fitted with a double saw: an angry Hornet, 

 darting her awful sting; a sturdy Beetle, 

 invincible under his homy armour. These 

 are exceptional morsels, hardly ever known to 

 the EpeirsE. Will they be accepted, if supplied 

 by my stratagems ? 



They are, but not without caution. The 

 game is seen to be perilous of approach and 

 the Spider turns her back upon it, instead of 

 facing it: she trains her rope-cannon upon it. 

 Quickly, the hind-legs draw from the spin- 

 nerets something much better than single 

 cords. The whole silk-battery works at one 

 and the same time, firing a regular volley of 

 ribbons and sheets, which a wide movement of 

 the legs spreads fan-wise and flings over the 

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