286 Habits of the Diadem Spider. 



generality of insects, the nsual course, of life, and especially 

 in the structures erected by them for the purpose of 

 preserving food, as among "bees, and rearing their young, they 

 always work by a uniform plan, from which, under no cir- 

 cumstance, can they be made to depart. Subsequent obser- 

 vation, however, has led me to doubt the accuracy of these 

 supposed truths ; and in the course of the present summer 

 these doubts have given place to certainty, especially as 

 regards a species of spider to which my attention was first 

 directed by its having selected the porch of entrance to my 

 house as the sphere of its operations, and which, therefore, I 

 continued to watch for many successive days, at the same 

 time making notes of what was observed; and to this have 

 since been added further remarks which have been suggested 

 from a study of a few others of the same species of larger 

 growth, and under other circumstances. 



It has been said that, whilst a modified structure of the 

 brain is the principal matter in the manifestation of charac- 

 teristic faculties, a certain quantity of bulk also is required for 

 affording a groundwork on which the existence of these facul- 

 ties must be built; and to this principle has been ascribed 

 the fact that, in many of the lower animals not endued with 

 what may be termed considerable mental powers, as displayed 

 even in the manifestation of instinct, there is still so large a 

 bulk of brain as is little if at all inferior to that of creatures of 

 far higher intelligence. But, if this be so, what shall we say 

 of a creature, from which our history is derived, the whole body 

 of which, when we first saw it, was smaller than the head of 

 the pin with which a lady would fasten the clothes on the 

 body of her infant baby, or a little girl will employ in dress- 

 ing her little doll? Yet the considerate skill of this diminu- 

 tive being in the business by which he procures his food 

 is great, and his industry is equal to his skill, while his 

 perseverance is not the least of these good qualities ; and 

 of all these the observations of every day afforded abundant 

 proof. 



The chosen residence of my little friend was in the out- 

 ward corner of a wooden porch at the entrance of my house, 

 and to a retired part of this it was accustomed to retire for 

 rest, safety, and to escape unpleasant observation. But the 

 net was spread in a more exposed part at the opening, for this 

 spider delights in the open air ; and the primary operation 

 was to cause the thread to adhere to the cross piece or lintel 

 above, after which it was carried below and drawn straight, so 

 as to form the lower side of a triangle with the woodwork of 

 the porch, and thereby limiting for the most part the extent 

 of the subsequent operations. It is only at the extremities 



