THE FRESH WATERS 181 
smooth surface of the water with a touch into 
smiling; we see them chasing, embracing, 
separating. ‘There is great beauty in their film- 
like wings, in their large, lustrous eyes, in the 
graceful sweep of the long tail-filaments. 
“They never pause to eat; they could not 
if they would. Hunger is past, love is just 
begun, and in the near future is death. The 
evening shadows grow longer—the shadow of 
death is over the Ephemerides. ‘The trout 
jump at them, a few raindrops thin the 
throng, the stream bears others away. The 
mothers lay their eggs in the water, and, after 
doing so, many seem utterly spent, and die 
forthwith. The eggs, however, are in the 
water, and the race continues.” 
THE STORY OF THE FRESH-WATER 
SPIDER 
Before we leave the fresh waters, let us look 
at the water-spider (Argyroneta natans), one 
of the conquerors. It strikes the note of ad- 
venture which is so characteristic of animals. 
For while it is a land animal by nature and 
origin, and breathes dry air, it has learned to 
live underneath the water. It is the female 
