Sept-»"| Searle, Gleanings of a City Naturalist. 79 



specimens each of wasps and ichneumon flies. The usual 

 habitat of one of the wasps — blue in colour and of sturdy build 

 — is a sandy paddock or heathy patch. What spirit of 

 adventure led him to visit the top floor of a city building it is 

 impossible to say ; but, like many another who left rural 

 delights for the lure of the city, alcohol and the bottle ended his 

 career. Attention may be drawn to two objects in Vespian 

 structure. When the insect is at rest, the wings, of which 

 there are four, lie horizontahy upon the body. If we examine 

 the hinder wings we will see a row of small hooks on the upper 

 or outer edge of the wing. We will also notice a fold along the 

 inner edge of the fore wing. The use of these structures is at 

 once apparent when the insect raises its wings for flight. As 

 the fore wings pass over the posterior ones the hooks on the 

 latter engage with the fold on the fore wing, securely locking 

 the two together and adding to their efflciency as an organ of 

 flight. The sting may be regarded as a modified form of 

 ovipositor. The piercing lancets are encased in a sheath, 

 which seems to act as a director and also to keep the fine lancets 

 from bending when the powerful muscles with which they are 

 furnished are applied to drive them into the object attacked. 

 A duct conveys poison from the gland to the lancets, and is by 

 them deposited in the wound they inflict. Unlike the bee, 

 the wasp does not lose its weapon of defence. 



Arachnidce. — Spiders of various species are frequently 

 found in the city offices. The small money-spider appears to 

 be a life tenant, and is to be found in all sorts of places — in 

 boxes and drawers, and even in the steel safe. What it finds 

 in the way of food I cannot tell. It will suddenly appear from 

 nowhere, race across the bench or desk, taking cover from 

 every object it comes in contact with, and finally disappear 

 again as mysteriously as it made its appearance. The slight 

 web of another species is sometimes found between the wall 

 and a nest of drawers, should the latter be shifted. The other 

 spiders are simply " strays," but all make interesting objects 

 for study. The cephalothorax of the money-spiders varies in 

 a remarkable manner, and takes on all sorts of peculiar shapes. 

 Most spiders are furnished with eight eyes, generally arranged 

 in two rows across the cephalothorax. Systematists make use 

 of the eyes of spiders in determining species. The number 

 may be reduced to six, four, or even two only. They vary in 

 colour and shape as well as number. The feet, with their 

 claws and combs, falces or jaws, the spinnerettes, are all of 

 interest, but the most remarkable organ is, perhaps, the lung- 

 book, which seems to point to the relationship between the 

 spiders and the crustaceans. We saw, when examining some of 

 the insects, that they breathe by means of spiracles opening 



