366 AFTER A. 
are plenty of spiders in this country, at 
least, to make stockings very cheaply. 
Mother, When a great number were 
collected in order to spin, it was found 
difficult to preserve them ; the strong 
devoured the weak, so that out of fifty, 
which were put into one place, there re- 
mained, in a few days, only the two 
largest, though they had been plentifully 
supplied with flies and with the pith of 
quills, of which they are extremely fond. 
The consumption of web also was enot^ 
mous : to make one pound of silk it re- 
quired the work of fifty-five thousand fe- 
male spiders, of the largest species. '- 
Lucy, I see it was a hopeless busi^ 
ness, indeed. 
Mother, Now, my little girl, 1 am 
going out ; to-morrow we shall finish 
the history of the spider. 
