WATER-MITES AND THE WATER-BEAR. 



279. 



CHAPTER XL 



WATER-MITES AND- THE WATER-BEAR. 



The Water-mites (Fig. 191) are sometimes called 

 water-spiders, probably because they bear some re- 

 semblance to small spiders, and have eight legs. 

 Naturalists have seen the resemblance and have placed 

 them in a family group near to the spiders. Water- 

 spider, however, is not a good name, as we have some 

 true spiders that are semi-aquatic in their habits and 

 have therefore a better title to such a name. 



The water-mites are usually active little animals, 

 swimming freely and rapidly through the water, or 

 forcing themselves among the leaflets of aquatic plants, 

 probably in search of food. 

 They may generally be ob- 

 tained in some abundance by 

 collecting water-weeds in the 

 way previously recommended, 

 namely, by sinking the bottle 

 and floating the plants into it 

 without removing them from 

 their native element. The 

 animals are all usually visible 



to the unaided eye, and may for the most part be 

 studied with a comparatively low-power objective. 



Fig. 191. — A Water-mite. Eylais. 



