CHAPTER XXXI. 



MISCELLANEA. 



The PoLTZOA and their varied and beautiful forms — The Raft Spider — ^Why so 

 called — Mode of obtaining prey — Mice and their homes — The Oampagnol ur 

 Harvest Mouse — Its general habits — Its winter and summer nest — Its store- 

 house and provisions — ^Entrance to the nest — The Wood Mouse and its neat — 

 Uses of the Field Mice — The Domestic MonsE — Various nests — Kapidity of 

 nest-building — A nest in a bottle — The cell of the Queek Termite — Its en • 

 trances and exits — Size of the inmates — The Fungus Ant and its singular 

 home — Material, structure, and size of the nest — The Clothes Moths and 

 their various species-Habitations of the Clothes Moth, and the method of forma- 

 tion and enlargement — The Elk and its winter home — The snow fortress and 

 its leaguers — Its use, advantages, and dangers— The Albatros and its mode of 

 nesting— Strange scenes — The Edible Swallow — Ita mode of nesting — Origin 

 of its name — Description of the nest— Curious legend respecting the bird — The 

 Eagle and its mode of nesting — Difficulty of reaching the eyrie — The 

 Nichtingale and its nest —Other ground-building birds and their temporary 

 homes— The Noddy — Perilous position of the eggs, and young — The Coot, and 

 its semi-aquatic nest. 



In this, the concluding chapter, are described sundry habitations 

 which cannot well he classed in any of the previously mentioned 

 groups, and which present some peculiarities which render them 

 worthy of a separate notice. 



We will begin with two aquatic habitations, one fixed, and 

 set below the surface of the water, and the other moveable and 

 floating upon it. 



Any one who is in the habit of frequenting the sea-shore 

 must have observed cei-tain rough, leaf-like objects, which are 

 popularly called Sea Mats, one of which is shown, of its natural 

 size, at Fig. 13. These objects are popularly supposed to be 

 sea-weeds, and are therefore called Lemon-weeds, because they 

 give forth an odour which somewhat resembles the fragrant oil 



