FOURTH WEEK] September 249 



so air-tight that he can keep it filled with a large bubble 

 of air, upon which he draws from time to time. 



And so we might go on enumerating almost endless 

 uses for the web which is Nature's gift to these little waifs, 

 who ages ago left the sea and have won a place for them- 

 selves in the sunshine among the butterflies and flowers. 

 ********* 



In the balsam-perfumed shade of our northern forests 

 we may sometimes find growing in abundance the tiny 

 white dwarf cornel, or bunch-berry, as its later cluster of 

 scarlet fruit makes the more appropriate name. These 

 miniature dogwood blossoms (or imitation blossoms, as 

 the white divisions are not real petals) are very conspic- 

 uous against the dark moss, and many insects seem to 

 seek them out and to find it worth while to visit them. 

 If we look very carefully we may find that this discovery 

 is not original with us, for a little creature has long ago 

 found out the fondness of bees and other insects for these 

 flowers and has put his knowledge to good use. 



One day I saw what I thought was a swelling on one 

 part of the flower, but a closer look showed it was a living 

 spider. Here was protective colouring carried to a won- 

 derful degree. The body of the spider was white and 

 glistening, like the texture of the white flower on which 

 he rested. On his abdomen were two pink, oblong spots, 

 of the same tint and shape as the pinkened tips of the 

 false petals. Only by an accident could he be discovered 

 by a bird, and when I focussed my camera, I feared that 

 the total lack of contrast would make the little creature 

 all but invisible. 



