MISCELLANEOUS ANIMALS 



419 



ants' nest, with its chambers and passageways, the queens, 

 eggs, larvae, and pupse all nicely arranged in the center. 

 By feeding with sugar, crumbs of cake, insects, or bits 

 of meat placed on the board cover or around the edges 

 of the frame, they may be kept as long as is desired. 

 In this way the whole life and work of the colony 

 may be observed and studied in the most convenient 

 manner. 



An ordinary roofing slate, about twelve inches square, 

 with strips of one-quarter inch wood glued to it so as to 

 include a rectangular area a little smaller 

 than the slate, say ten inches square, 

 and arranged as above described, makes 

 a most satisfactory ants' nest. 



Spiders. — These interesting creatures 

 play too important a role in nature to 

 omit from the course. To gain an idea of 

 how many spiders there are, look out 

 on some grassy meadow on a dewy morn- 

 ing. The grass is carpeted with webs. 

 On the one side, spiders destroy winged 

 insects — flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and 

 moths. Let each one of the children examine some con 

 veniently placed spider web from time to time for two or 

 three days and report, as nearly as possible, how many 

 and what insects are caught in it. On the other hand, 

 spiders are most valuable food for birds. Bird fanciers, 

 in fact, consider them the best medicine for birds, acting 

 like magic to make them well. 



While the class is studying spiders, which should be in 

 September, have them collect all the different kinds of 



Fig. 16 



An Interestit<g 



Experiment 



