The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-01-20
THE SPIDER.

The spider has many enemies, and hence
( Its web is always in danger of being de.
ranged and damaged. To meet this i1con-
venlence, Nature has furnished the insect
with magazine of materials for occasional
repairs, and which, although frequently ex-
hansted, still continues to he replenished-
this reservoir, however, is drained in time,
When spiders grow old, their supply of gum
is dried up-but even when this calamity
happens, the cunning creature is not desti-
tute OF resources which avail it some time
longer. A crafty old spider having no long
er the means of securing subsistence, seeks
out young one, to which it communicates
lis wants and necessities-on which the
other either out of respect for old age, OF
rom tear OF old plncers, resigns its place,
and spins a new web in another situation
But If the old spider can find none of its spe-
cles which will, either from love or fear, re-
sign its net it must then perish for want of
subsistence. The water spider spins no
web to catch its prey-but nevertheless, Of
iers one OF the most singular objects of con-
temptation. If we possessed no other evil
dence that the world had been planned and
created by an Intelligent Being, the habits,
proceedings and instincts of this little crea-
ture would be alone sufficient to prove the
| fact. AS soon as it has caught its prey on
the shore, it dives to the bottom of the water
and devours its booty. 1t is, therefore,
an amphibious animal-although it appears
more fitted 10 live in contact with the water,
The diving bell is modern invention-and
few facts excite our wonder more than the
possibility of mans being enabled to live
and move at the bottom of the ocean. This
/ trInmnh ho mfr 11xy al
| ment, however, was anticipated by an insect
the spider in question. This creature
spins some loose threads, which it attaches
to the leaves of aquatic plants-it then var
nlshes them with a glutinous secretion.
which resembles liquid glass, and is SO elast-
&c as to admit of a considerable distention
and contraction-it next lays a coating of
this same substance over its own body, and
underneath this coating introduces bubble
OF air. Naturalists conjecture that it has
the power of drawing in this air at the anus.
from the atmosphere, at the surface of the
pool-but the precise mode in which it is
separated from the body of the atmosphere,
and introduced under the pellicle, covering
the insects body, has not been clearly as
certained.
Thus clothed and shining like ball of
quicksilver, it darts through the waters to
the spot in which it mad fixed its habtation,
and, disengaging the bubble from under the
pellicle, it dexterously introduces it into
web formed at the bottom After repeated
ly moving from the top to the bottom of the
water, and at each journey filling it's habita-
ton with fresh bubble of air, at length the
lighter completely expels the heavier fluid,
and the insect takes possession of an aerial
habitation, commoGious and dry, finished in
the very midst of the waters. 1t is about
the size and shape of half pigeons egg.
From this curious chamber the spider hunts,
searching sometimes the waters and some
times the land for its prey, which, when OBJ
tanned, Is transported to this sub-aquatic
mansion, and devoured at leisure. The
male as we'll as the female exhibits the same
instincts. Early in the spring the former
seeks the mansion Of the latter, and having
enlarged it by the introduction Of little
more air, takes up its abode with its mate.
About the middle of April the eggs are laid,
and packed up in silken cocoon in a corner
of their house, and are watched with inces-
SAINT care 10y the female Family Library.
Dr.. CLAIMING. In the second series of
the " Casquet of Literary Gems,"-a beau
tiful and rich compilation recently publish
ed in Scotland, DR.. Channing's Character
Of Napoleon is introduced by the following
complimentary note. The first series Of
the same work contained long extract
! from his Character of Milton.
"This is long extract; but, when it is
read, no apology for its length will be felt
requisite. AS an analysis of character, it
is in vigor and accuracy of the very highest
order; but its great charm and value will
be found to lie in its eloquent exposition
of the rights and interests of mankind, and
the stern adherence which it displays
throughout, to truth, freedom, and the prn-
ciples of morality. DR.. Claiming is an
American. Most of his works have been
reprinted in this country. They are not
yet extensive; but, by their admirable CON-
bination Of moral and intellectual greatness,
they prove him to belong to those writers
who are blessing as we'll as an honor to
their species. The present essay, occasion
by the publication of Sir Walter Scots
Life of Napoleon, appeared first in The
Christian Examiner Boston periodical
1t is given here almost Editor.
| E.o.,. L.