LIFE AMONGST THE SPIDERS. 115 



convey into her sub-aqueous nest, where she means to 

 lay her eggs, little globules of air, which, as she passes 

 from the upper world, shine in the water exactly like 

 globules of quicksilver. "The shining appearance," 

 says one,* "proceeds either from an inflated globule 

 surrounding the abdomen, or from the space between the 

 body and the water. The spider, when wishing to inhale 

 the air, rises with its body still submerged, and only 

 the part containing the spinneret just appearing at the 

 surface, when it briskly opens it and moves its four 

 teats. A deep cone of hair keeps the water from approach- 

 ing or wetting the abdomen. It comes up for air about 

 four times an hour or oftener." Another author, De 

 Geer, tells us how "this species of Arachnida spins in 

 the water a cell of strong, closely woven white silk, in the 

 form of half the shell of a pigeon's egg, or like a diving- 

 bell. This is sometimes left partly above water, but at 

 others it is entirely submerged, and is always attached to 

 the object near it by a great number of threads. It is 

 closed all round, but has a large opening below, which, 

 however, I found closed on the 15th of December, and the 

 spider living quietly within, with her head downwards. 

 I made a rent in this cell and expelled the air, upon 

 which the spider came out; yet, though she appeared 

 to have been laid up for three months in her winter 

 quarters, she greedily seized upon an insect and sucked 

 it." 



" What has this to do with ' heavenly-mindedness ' ? " 

 did you say ? Let us see. These water-spiders gather the 

 air around their bodies, and then descend into the stream, 

 retaining still their aerial garment as their safe protection. 

 So should the Christian be in the world: his spiritual 

 life is derived from Him who is the life, and this spiritual 



* Clerck, quoted by Reimie, 



