420 NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



spiders' eggs they can find. They are laid in little bags 

 of spider web, hung up in the web, as with the common 

 house spider, or placed in cracks, under boards, scales of 

 bark, or under stones. If the eggs are kept in a cold 

 place, the hatching in the spring will furnish interesting 

 lessons. 



A spider may be encouraged to spin in one of the 

 schoolroom windows, or one may be confined for this pur- 

 pose in a dry aquarium, and then, with the aid of their 

 insect nets, the children can bring in flies and mosquitoes 

 to feed it. Besides the common house spider for these 

 observations, be sure to have an orb weaver, as its web is 

 the most interesting and beautiful of all. By studying 

 a jumping spider, a running spider, a cobweb or funnel 

 weaver, an orb weaver, and a gossamer or flying spider 

 a fair idea of the life and habits of this group may be 

 obtained. The jumping spiders are found on plants, logs, 

 sides of buildings, etc. They are usually hairy, are very 

 agile, and catch their prey by springing upon it. They 

 spin webs only as egg sacs or as shelters in which to 

 moult or hibernate. For the South the trapdoor spider 

 should be added to the list. 



An interesting lesson with the spider. Have a pan or basin filled 

 with water on a table in the largest open space in the schoolroom. 

 By using an ink bottle or even a potato to hold it upright, erect in 

 the pan a stick twelve or fifteen inches high. Have the children bring 

 in various kinds of spiders, — almost any kind will do for this experi- 

 ment. Select one and place it on the top of the stick and let the 

 class watch the spider's movements. It will first run down the stick, 

 but will find that it cannot escape, because this is surrounded by 

 water ; it will then mount to the top again. After several more 

 trials to escape, the children will notice that the spider is spinning a 



