464 NATURE'S TEACHINGS. 



sequence of this power, they are sometimes called Flying 

 Squids, and, as they have been known to shoot themselves 

 completely over the hull of a large ship, they well deserve the 

 name. 



The common Squid ot our coasts, which furnishes the 

 so-called Cuttle-bone, affords us a good example of Direct 

 Action. I once hatched a number of young Squids from the 

 grape-like eggs, and it was most curious to see how the little 

 creatures shot about as soon as they escaped from the egg. 



They also utilised the siphon in another way. Poising 

 themselves just above the sand with which the bottom of the 

 vessel was covered, they directed a stream of water upon it, 

 and thus formed little cavities into which they settled like 

 birds into their nests. 



The figure represents the Paper Nautilus as it appears while 

 passing through the water. Just at the base of the tentacles 

 is seen the short siphon, from which it is pouring the stream of 

 water which drives it along. 



Below the Nautilus is seen the larva of the common Dragon- 

 fly. We have, when treating of the Lazy-tongs, already 

 described the mode in which the insect takes its prey, and our 

 object could not be served by repetition. Suffice it to say 

 that the insect is shown in the act of ejecting water, and so 

 shooting itself along in preparation for seizing prey. 



DISTRIBUTION OF WEIGHT. 



BEING on the subject of locomotion, we will examine a few 

 of the contrivances by which a man is enabled to pass in 

 safety over soft substances into which he would otherwise 

 sink. 



The first and best-known of these is the Snow-shoe of 

 Northern America. It is a framework of wood, shaped as 

 shown in the upper figure on the right-hand side, and strength- 

 ened by two cross-bars. The interior of the " shoe " is filled in 

 with hide thongs arranged much like those of a racket, and 

 stretched as tightly. The front of the snow-shoe is slightly 

 turned up, so as to avoid the danger of the point sticking in 

 the snow, an event which, however, generally happens to a 

 novice. 



