NATURE'S CRAFTSMEN 



as men eat? They must be hungry now. Let us try 

 an experiment. We tax once more the cook's good- 

 nature; and fortunately a mess of finely ground boiled 

 beef is just ready to mix into those inviting conical 

 croquettes that so many folks relish, and a portion of 

 this is secured. But how shall we feed it to our striders? 

 It will not float long enough to give them approach 

 thereto. So much the better for the small fishes below, 

 whose appetites do not seem to be tempted by the in- 

 sects walking the water above them, for I have never 

 seen a strider taken by a fish. Then we must float our 

 meat rations to them. 



Dry leaves and bits of paper are mounted upon twigs 

 or upon wooden toothpicks thrust in crosswise and 

 lengthwise, and morsels of the meat are spread upon 

 the edges. The tiny rafts are pushed into the stream. 

 They float past one group, and then by another. Some 

 are wrecked in the riffles where the brook runs over 

 stones in its bed. Some are stranded in the long grass 

 and bunches of water-cress by the water's edge. But 

 at last one craft is challenged by a curious strider who 

 throws one leg upon it as it floats by. Then follows its 

 head ; then it swings its body round, and, resting on the 

 forepart of the leaf, thrusts down its beak into the 

 savory mess and falls into that repose which gives 

 token to the observer that it has found a feast and is 

 enjoying it. Presently it is joined by a companion, 

 who also "falls to" with apparent gusto. 



Farther down-stream is one of our supply-ships that 

 has safely passed a miniature water -fall and floated 

 into a placid basin frequented by a large group of our 

 Hydrometrids. In a moment half a dozen have scent- 

 ed the meaty cargo, have surrounded it, and, clinging to 



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