NOTES AND QUERIES. 
(Under this Department Heading queries relative to all branches of Natural History will be answered. } 
A SPIDER WHIRLING A FLY. 
On a bright summer afternoon of last season 
while lazily resting on the porch in the warm 
atmosphere, I observed a fly suddenly stop, 
flutter and struggle, apparently in mid air. 
This was soon explained by a little black and 
brown spider, a shade larger than the fly, dart- 
ing down from a beam overhead, perpendicu- 
larly above the fly. Reaching the latter he 

was but a moment in doing whatever he did to 
secure his prey, and he then ran nimbly up his 
single cord, which I found, although it was 
scarcely perceptible, stretched taut from the 
beam above to a cross rail of fancy wor. be- 
low. 
The spider ascended about eighteen inches 
above the fly, then quickly turned head down- 
ward, taking hold of the line with its forelegs, 
as a child would a jumping rope, and with a 
swaying motion the then struggling fly began 
to be swung around something like a button 
would be in the centre of a string held by both 
hands and rapidly turned by a circular motion. 
The speed was so rapid that by the time it had 
reached a circuit of about four inches in diam- 
eter the fly could scarceiy be discerned. In 
about a minute its operation ceased and the fly 
was quiet. 
I then found on examination that the fly was 
still alive, and I felt moved to try if I could se- 
cure its freedom. Taking it carefully from the 
web line—no doubt to the disgust of the spider 
—I found under the magnifying glass that 
every leg was closely tied together in the same 
manner as farmers formerly tied the feet ot 
calves together when taking them to market in 
the bottom of their wagons. Taking a needle 
I tried to release the legs, but the work of the 
spider was too well done, and the fly soon ex- 
pired. Did anyone ever witness such a mode 
of a spider securing its game? 
W. M. Kohl. 
THE TAME CRow. 
One of the first pets I ever owned was a 
crow. He was given to me in a crippled con- 
dition, and I nursed him patiently for some 
weeks until he was able to look out for himselt 
pretty well. He always limped and never 
could fly, but passed most of his time between 
getting into mischief and escaping punishment, 
for both of which he showed an immense 
amount of talent. He slept'in the barn, and 
one cold night in winter he failed to go in to 
his usual roost, and froze to death in the snow 
outside the door. 
Crows make very amusing pets for any one 
who can put up with their innate spirit of 
deviltry, and besides that they can be taught to 
talk more distinctly than most parrots. Itisa 
common idea among the country people that 
they will not talk unless their tongues are cut 
at a certain tender age. Be that as it may, I 
have heard crows talk excellently that never 
had their tongues cut, and some whose tongues 
are cut never will taik at all. I always take 
my chances without cutting, and out of nearly 
a dozen that I have owned only two proved de- 
void of a bump of language. ‘ 
To be sure of having a'good, affectionate 
