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THE WATEK SPIDER. 



The Water Spider is a truly active creature, and its rapid movements 

 can be watched by placing one of these Arachnida in a vessel nearly 

 filled with water. If possible, some water-plant, such as the vaP^sneria 

 or anacharis, should also be placed in the vessel. Here the spider will 

 soon construct its web and exhibit its curious habits. It must be well 

 supplied with flies and other insects thrown into the water. It will 

 pounce on them, carry them to its house, and there eat them. 



The limbs and cephalothorax of this species are brown with a slight 

 tinge of red, and the abdomen is brown, but washed with green. It is 



The Garden Spider {Epeira diade)na). 



densely covered with hairs. On the middle of the upper surface of the 

 abdomen are found round spots arranged in a square. The male is 

 rather larger than the female, and his legs are larger in proportion. 

 He may, however, be distinguished by the large mandibles and longer 

 palpi. 



We now arrive at the Epeiridse, a family containing some of the 

 strangest members of the spider race. The best known of this family 



