208 tRambles witb 1Ratut 4 e Students 



of trees : this substance is called stick-lac, and is 

 largely used in the manufacture of sealing-wax and 

 varnish. So that while we look with disfavour upon 

 the insect plagues of this species which infest our 

 greenhouses, we may at least recollect that they 

 possess foreign relatives who have a certain claim 

 upon our gratitude. 



SPIDERS 



A spider's web empearled by hoar frost is indeed 

 'a thing of beauty.' To-day every tree branch, 

 bush, and spray, is seen to be hung with these jewelled 

 webs, even the lawn is covered with them, and one 

 realises that flies live in a very world of snares 

 unseen by us until the frost reveals them. There 

 really seems to be a spider fitted to every situation 

 in life. 



In our houses reside the tegenarias, those black, 

 long-legged, swift running creatures which are the 

 betes noires of nervous people, but which, notwith- 

 standing, are full of curious ways and instincts, as 

 I can vouch for, seeing I kept one as a ' pet ' for 

 more than a year. 



I watched with interest its making silken tunnels, 

 laying its bag of eggs in a corner of the box it 

 resided in, and concealing it by sticking all over 

 it the legs and wings of the flies it had fed upon, 

 until the egg nursery looked only like a bit of old 

 spider's web. 



Another species of spider haunts our window 

 sills. It makes no web, but catches flies by 

 lying in wait and springing suddenly upon them ; 



