nows that a very few hours occasion
the putrefaction of all dead animal substances; nevertheless these
spiders are to be kept fresh and good, like our tins of preserved
meats, to be eaten when required.

One, two, or even three spiders, according to their size, the mason-fly
deposits in each cell, and then closes it hermetically with clay. The
spiders she has pounced upon while sunning themselves in the centre of
their delicate nets, and they are hurried off in a panic to be
converted into preserved provisions. Each cell being closed, the whole
nest is cemented over with a thick covering of clay. In due time the
young family hatch, eat their allowance of spiders, undergo their
torpid change, and emerge from their clay mansion complete mason-flies.

Every variety of Ichneumon, however (in Ceylon), chooses the spider as
the food for its young. It is not at all uncommon to find a gun well
loaded with spiders, clay and grubs, some mason-fly having chosen the
barrel for his location. A bunch of keys will invite a settlement of
one of the smaller species, who make its nest in the tube of a key,
which it also fills with minute spiders.

In attacking the spider, the mason-fly his a choice of his antagonist,
and he takes good care to have a preponderance of weight on his own
side. His reason for choosing this in preference to other insects for
a preserved store may be that the spider is naturally juicy, plump and
compact, combining advantages both for keeping and packing closely.

There are great varieties of spiders in Ceylon, one of which is of such
enormous size as to resemble the Aranea avicularia of America. This
species stands on an area of about three inches, and never spins a web,
but wanders about and lives in holes; his length of limb, breadth of
thorax and powerful jaws give him a most formidable appearance. There
is another species of a large-sized spider who spins a web of about two
and a half feet in diameter. This is composed of a strong, yellow,
silky fibre, and so powerful is the texture that a moderate-sized
walking-cane thrown into the web will be retained by it. This spider is
about two inches long, the color black, with a large yellow spot upon
the back, and the body nearly free from hair.

Some years ago an experiment was made in France of substituting the
thread of the spider for the silk of the silkworm: several pairs of
stockings and various articles were manufactured with tolerable success
in thi