POND LIFE— II 



By F. MARTIN DUNCAN, F.R.P.S. 



With Photographs by the Author 



THE NEST OF THE WATER SPIDER. 



ONE of the most interesting of the 

 pond insects is the Water Spider 

 {Argyroncla aquatica). Crawhng and 

 running over the broad, flat leaves on 

 the surface of the pond, it does not 

 attract much attention, for it looks 

 like an ordinary spider with black, hairy 

 legs and a brownish-grey body ; but 

 when it dives beneath the surface, the 

 Water vSpider becomes transformed into 

 a striking and beautiful creatvu-e with 

 a body that looks as if it were made of 

 polished silver. Tliis sudden change in 

 appearance is due to the fact that the 

 body of the spider is clothed with \-orv 

 soft and fine hairs, amongst whicli u lilm 

 of air becomes imprisoned when the insect 

 enters the water. This spider, indeed, 

 !s a veritable diver, carrying its own 



air supply from the surface, down to the 

 bottom of the pond. It may also be 

 considered the true inventor of the diving- 

 bell, for it builds a more or less dome- 

 shaped home amongst the stems of the 

 submerged weeds, and fills it with air, 

 so that it looks as if it were composed of 

 quicksilver. 



It is a very pretty sight to watch one 

 of these Water Spiders at work, tilling its 

 aqueous nest with air, and is one that 

 may l)e easily witnessed by keeping a few 

 of these spiders in an aquarium in which 

 some water-weeds are growing. The 

 spider will appear to be very busy amongst 

 llie stems of the water-weeds, mo\-ing 

 rapidly from one to another, weaving fine 

 silken threads that serve as foundations 

 for his home. Except where the light 



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