Inside, there is nothing but the eggs:  no mattress, no soft eiderdown, like that of the Epeirae.  The Lycosa, indeed, has no need to guard her eggs against the inclemencies of the winter, for the hatching will take place long before the cold weather comes.  Similarly, the Thomisus, with her early brood, takes good care not to incur useless expenditure:  she gives her eggs, for their protection, a simple purse of satin.

The work of spinning, followed by that of tearing, is continued for a whole morning, from five to nine o’clock.  Worn out with fatigue, the mother embraces her dear pill and remains motionless.  I shall see no more to-day.  Next morning, I find the Spider carrying the bag of eggs slung from her stern.

Henceforth, until the hatching, she does not leave go of the precious burden, which, fastened to the spinnerets by a short ligament, drags and bumps along the ground.  With this load banging against her heels, she goes about her business; she walks or rests, she seeks her prey, attacks it and devours it.  Should some accident cause the wallet to drop off, it is soon replaced.  The spinnerets touch it somewhere, anywhere, and that is enough:  adhesion is at once restored.

The Lycosa is a stay-at-home.  She never goes out except to snap up some game passing within her hunting-domains, near the burrow.  At the end of August, however, it is not unusual to meet her roaming about, dragging her wallet behind her.  Her hesitations make one think that she is looking for her home, which she has left for the moment and has a difficulty in finding.

Why these rambles?  There are two reasons:  first the pairing and then the making of the pill.  There is a lack of space in the burrow, which provides only room enough for the Spider engaged in long contemplation.  Now the preparations for the egg-bag require an extensive flooring, a supporting framework about the size of one’s hand, as my caged prisoner has shown us.  The Lycosa has not so much space at her disposal, in her well; hence the necessity for coming out and working at her wallet in the open air, doubtless in the quiet hours of the night.

The meeting with the male seems likewise to demand an excursion.  Running the risk of being eaten alive, will he venture to plunge into his lady’s cave, into a lair whence flight would be impossible?  It is very doubtful.  Prudence demands that matters should take place outside.  Here at least there is some chance of beating a hasty retreat which will enable the rash swain to escape the attacks of his horrible bride.

The interview in the open air lessens the danger without removing it entirely.  We had proof of this when we caught the Lycosa in the act of devouring her lover aboveground, in a part of the enclosure which had been broken for planting and which was therefore not suitable for the Spider’s establishment.  The burrow must have been some way off; and the meeting of the pair took place at the very spot of the tragic catastrophe.  Although he had a clear road, the male was not quick enough in getting away and was duly eaten.