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NATURAL HISTORY. 89 



there are very few insects, indeed, which can 

 or will hurt you ; and a great many of them 

 you may watch without touching them at all. 

 And I think that he is a wicked and cruel boy 

 who kills every poor bug that he sees, merely 

 because he is stronger than the bug. It would 

 be a great deal kinder and wiser in the boy 

 to notice what the bug was doing, for then he 

 might learn something worth knowing." 



" But, Uncle Philip, is it wrong to kill spi- 

 ders r 



" Spiders ! Why, boys, the spider is one 

 of the very last of these little creatures that 

 I should wish to kill. There is not a more 

 curious little animal in the world, nor one 

 that will pay a man better for watching its 

 motions. At some other time I will tell you 

 all about spiders and ants, for I have noticed 

 them a great deal : but now, just to show you 

 how much you would lose if you should kill 

 all the spiders, I will talk with you about a 

 tool which man uses, and which he might 

 have learned to make from a spider." 



" Oh, do tell us ; what is it ?" 



" The next time you go to Mr. Brown's, the 

 silversmith, ask him to show you his plate 



