LIFE AMONGST THE SPIDERS. 103 



greater evidence could be afforded of the wisdom of God ! 

 what greater proof of design! How much do we owe 

 to the invention of an instrument which so clearly and 

 unanswerably demonstrates the existence of the Deity 

 and His care for all His creatures ! 



Now you will learn why spiders are not classed with 

 insects. Among other reasons, their eyes are not only 

 entirely different in their structure, but altogether dif- 

 ferent in their number. 



Following the various parts of the body of our object, 

 look at its mouth. Did you ever see such a tremendous 

 weapon ? Observe, first the size of these so-called " man- 

 dibles " (from the Latin, meaning t: a jaw "). They close, 

 when striking the prey, like the blades of a clasp-knife. 

 Their minute points, where they terminate, are hollow; 

 and, through a very minute aperture at their extremity, 

 a poisonous fluid is ejected into the wound made by the 

 sharp point, from a little sac in the upper joint, where the 

 intense poison is kept, the injection of which immediately 

 so stupefies the victim that it probably ceases to feel while 

 it is being despatched. Just think now : from the same 

 raw material, namely, dead flies or other insects, the 

 spider contrives to manufacture in that big workshop of 

 hers first, food for the preservation of life, and the 

 increase of growth and strength; then, secondly, a 

 preparation of the most subtle and fatal of poisons ; and, 

 most wonderful of all, that curious web, which we shall 

 presently look at and cry out, saying, " My word ! " 



" My word " indeed ! But what does " Mij Word " say 

 about spiders ? for does not it say something about every- 

 thing ? What does " My Word " say about a spider ? 



" Bide a wee, and do not weary," was a little Scotch 

 child's definition of faith : let it be ours of works. We 

 shall see presently. 



