NATURE'S CALENDAR 



as of the highest organization survive by 

 stopping all activity. Thus most of the 

 minute creatures that crowd our ponds 

 and ditches seem to have as much hardi- 

 hood as the water weeds amid which they 

 dwell, so that the fishes under the ice 

 have no lack of winter food. They them- 

 selves feed upon minuter and even mi- 

 croscopic plants, upon hydroids, eggs of 

 various diminutive creatures, of which at 

 this season many are being produced in 

 the water — those of the fresh - water 

 polyps, for instance — and other smallest 

 of small fry. Earthworms and their kin- 

 dred bore into the ground until they are 

 below the line of frost, or if they are of 

 aquatic habits bury themselves deep in 

 the muddy bottoms of streams and ponds ; 

 while the water spiders keep comfortable, 

 after the weather has become too cold 

 for them, by sleeping in the bubble of air 

 they are able to take down with them, en- 

 tangled in the long hairs of their legs and 

 bodies. In the Southern States, of course, 

 these precautions against the climate are 

 much less necessary or prolonged than in 

 the colder region northward. 



Land spiders pass the winter in more 

 or less activity, according to their natures 

 and the degree of cold. You may find 

 some abroad any day this month, even 

 running about on the snow, but for the 

 most part they are hidden away in our 

 cellars or under stones or logs. The bur- 

 rowing species, such as the trap-door spi- 



January 4 



January 5 



