FOOD OF INSECTS. 425 



ation, but, venturing to skate upon the surflice of the 

 ^\^ater itself, 



" Bathe unw't (heir oily forms, and cIm-cU 

 With feet repulsive on the dimpling vvcl!." 



The Rev. Tl. Sheppard has often noticed in the fen 

 ditches of Norfolk a very large spider which actually 

 forms a raft for the purpose of obtaining- its prey with 

 more facility. Keeping its station upon a ball of weeds 

 about three inches in diameter, probably hold together 

 by slight silken cords, it is wafted along the surface of 

 the water upon this floating island, Avhich it quits the 

 moment it sees a drowning insect — net, as you may 

 conceive, for the sake of applying to it the process of 

 the Humane Society, but of hastening its exit by a 

 more speedy engine of destruction. The booty thus 

 seized it devours at leisure upon its raft, under which 

 it retires when alarmed by any danger. 



The last of the tribe of hunters that it is necessary to 

 particularize, are those which, like the tigers amongst 

 the larger animals, seize their victims by leaping upon 

 them. To this division [)eiongs a very pretty small 

 banded species, A. scenica, which in summer may be 

 seen running on every wall. 



To Walckenaer's sKimmers, tlie last of his grand 

 tribes of spiders, including Aranca aqiwtica, L. &c., 

 the first line of the above quotation from Dr. Darwin is 

 particularly applicable ; for these actually seize their 

 food by diving under the water, their bodies being kept 

 unwet by a coating of air which constantly surrounds 

 them. — Thus one single race of insects exemplify in 

 miniature almost all the modes of obtaining food which 

 prevail amongst predaccous quadrupeds — the auda- 



