598 HOMES WITHODT HANDS. 



these afford the easiest prey to the Eaft Spider, who pounced 

 upon them as they vainly struggle to regain the air, and then 

 carries them back to its raft, there to devour them in peace. 



The Spider does not merely sit upon the raft, and there 

 capture any prey that may happen to come within reach, but 

 when it sees an insect upon the surface, it leaves the raft, runs 

 swiftly over the water, secures its prey, and brings it back to the 

 raft. It can even descend below the surface of the water, and 

 will often crawl several inches in depth. This feat it does not 

 perform by diving, as is the case with the water spider, but by 

 means of the aquatic plants, down whose stems it crawls. Its 

 capability of existing for some time beneath the surface of the 

 water is often the means of saving its life ; for, when it sees an 

 enemy approaching, it qxiietly slips under the raft, and there lies 

 in perfect security until the danger has passed away. 



There is, living in the same localities, a closely-allied species, 

 the PiKATE Spider {Lycosa pirafica), which has similar habits, 

 chasing its prey on the water, and descending as well below 

 the surface. It does not, however, possess the power of making 

 a raft. 



In a previous chapter of this work, the beautiful pensile nest 

 of the Harvest Mouse has been described and figured, and the 

 burrows of other species of mouse have been cursorily men- 

 tioned. I shall now proceed to describe the nests of the 

 common Field Mice, together with the habitation of the little 

 brown-coated, long-tailed, sharp-nosed rodent, that is so familiar 

 in houses unguarded by cats or traps. 



We will first take the nest of the Shoet-tailed Field Mouse, 

 otherwise termed Campagnol, or Field Vole (Arvicola arvensis). 

 This pretty little creature, whose red back, grey belly, short ears, 

 and blunt nose, might be seen daUy if human eyes were more 

 accustomed to observation, is extremely plentiful in the fields, 

 especiaUy those of a low-lying and marshy character, such as 

 water meadows and hay-fields near rivers. 



Though more nocturaal than diurnal in their habits, the little 

 creatures are not afraid of daylight, and I have often captured 

 them when the sun was at its meridian height. But they are so 

 smooth and easy in their movements, harmonise so well with the 

 colour of the soil, and glide so deftly between the grass, that 



