AN ARTFUL LITTLE DIVER 251 
cannot get between the hairs, and thus the air is 
imprisoned, making a perfect little wrapper of 
compressed air for the spider’s use when she goes 
below. 
“ But this is not all. If we could don a diver’s 
suit, and go down to her under-water retreat with 
the spider, we should find that her den on the 
bottom of the stream is even more wonderful 
than she herself is. To begin with, her home is 
always built between two stones, which serve not 
only as the beams and rafters, but for firm an¬ 
chorage as well. And, as you may well imagine, 
it often takes no little searching to find just the 
right location: for the spider is just as particular 
regarding shade, and view, and good water as we 
are when we go hunting building sites. It is not 
enough that two stones shall be found in close 
proximity to suit her needs. The water there¬ 
abouts must be fresh and pure and not too swift. 
Also there must be plenty of mosses and herbage 
to serve as a screening background for her little 
domicile. The ideal spot is two stones nearly of 
a size standing quite close together amid a clump 
of wide-branching seaweed. 
“ Having found such a spot, the spider at¬ 
taches her thread to one of these rocks and starts 
her silk factory going full blast. As her silk is 
reeled out she winds it round and round her own 
body, yard upon yard, until at length she is in 
