64 POND LIFE 



hunter, because it will build its dome and live to all intents a 

 natural life, even in so small a pond as a glass jar full of water. 

 The entire process of weaving its dome, love-making, the 

 forming of the egg-bag, and the subsequent hatching of the 

 young can be watched at leisure. 



Before turning to water-mites, mention must be made of 

 the extraordinary power that water-spiders have to remain in 

 a trance resembling death. The writer on one occasion found 

 his water-spiders " dead " at the bottom of the aquarium. 

 He took them out and placed them on glass slips in order to 

 make an examination. They seemed peculiarly slimy several 

 days elapsed, and no signs of life were noticed, nor were any- 

 looked for in fact, the writer was engaged dissecting one of 

 the specimens when his attention was called to another of these 

 " dead " spiders, that was distinctly moving a fore-leg. 



The glass plates were placed in the cooler part of an oven. 

 Within a very short time the spiders not only were perfectly 

 restored to health, but were more than usually alive. When 

 returned to the aquarium, they dived beneath the water as if 

 nothing had happened. A few days later the spiders were 

 again in a death-like condition. After allowing them to 

 remain for two days beneath the water, the oven was char- 

 tered once more, but this time it acted not. 



Water-spiders sleep during the winter in their sub-aquatic 

 homes and re-emerge as soon as the water has been warmed by 

 the return of summer. 



The age to which a spider may live is not exactly known. 

 Some have lived to the age of four years in captivity. 



Water-mites belong to the Hydrachnidae. They differ from 

 spiders in that their bodies are in one piece and lack the 

 characteristic waist of the latter. 



Their sizes vary some are three-quarters of an inch in 

 diameter, whilst others are only just visible to the naked eye 

 without the aid of a lens or microscope. 



The water-mites are beautifully coloured. Some are crimson, 

 green, and blue ; others are spotted either with white or 

 various colours. 



Their shapes are most varied. Some are characteristically 

 ball-shaped ; others resemble " king crabs," whilst a few are 

 so curious that they are difficult so describe. 



Water-mites are noticeable for their exceedingly long legs, 

 covered with closely set hair, often of a different colour to the 

 body. One very frequent example has a red and brown body 

 and light green legs. 



They are all as far as we know egg-layers, the eggs being 



