62 
NATURE STUDY. 
Cops brought it back to the housekeeper. The poor beav¬ 
er immediately recognized her, uttered his little cry, and 
crept under her chair. But the blow had been struck ; he 
never rallied, but died, as the good, old housekeeper de¬ 
clared, with tears in her eyes, of a broken heart. His skin 
is preserved in the museum of the Bristol Philosophical So¬ 
ciety. Poor Binny! He was a most faithful and entertain¬ 
ing creature, and some highly amusing scenes occured be¬ 
tween the worthy but slow beaver, and a light and airy ma- 
cauco that was kept in the same apartment.” 
A Bloodthirsty Beauty. 
BY WIUUIAM H. HUSB. 
A dead bee hanging from a yarrow corymb recently at¬ 
tracted my attention. It resembled some people in having 
no visible means of support and that looked suspicious. A 
closer inspection confirmed my suspicions. 
His neck was firmly clasped by the man¬ 
dibles of a crab spider scarcely larger than 
itself and the poor bee had already breathed 
her last. My pity for the victim was short¬ 
lived and gave way to interest in the 
captor which was an excellent example of protective color¬ 
ing. Of a creamy white, with just enough pink markings 
to relieve the monotony of color, it was a beauty and with 
its similarity to the flowers on which it rested it had only 
to wait where bees were Sure to come to be equally sure of 
its dinner. 
This spider belongs to a family of arachnids that spin no 
webs but lie in wait under leaves and in flowers, like high¬ 
waymen, for their victims. No; let us not say that. Such 
gentlemen are disreputable because they hunt us These 
spiders hunt like sportsmen who build bough-houses for 
concealment and wait until their game comes within gun¬ 
shot. 
