$12 POPULAR SCRIPTURE ZOOLOGY.

is nearly horizontal at the entrance, but soon winds obliquely,
till it becomes quite perpendicular. This curved gallery is
about a quarter of an inch in diameter, is much more closely
woven than the sheet of the web, and sometimes descends
into a hole in the ground, though oftener into a group of
crowded twigs, or a tuft of grass. Here the spider dwells
secure, frequently resting with her legs extended from the
entrance of the gallery, ready to spring out upon whatever
insect may fall into her sheet net.”

The Gossamer Spiders (4ranea obtectriz) have the power
of shooting out lines of gossamer, so as to render themselves
quite buoyant, and thus they float about, as though they
had wings. These abound both in Europe and America.

The Water Spider (Argyroneta aquatica) makes its habi-
tation in the water, by spinning loose threads to the leaves
of water-plants, over which it spreads a transparent varnish,
like liquid glass, and quite elastic ; within this globe a bub-
ble of air is drawn by degrees, the little creature coming to
the surface several times, and carrying with it, in descend-
ing, a small portion of air, which looks like shining quick-
silver ; when sufficiently inflated, the ingenious builder is
possessed of a perfectly dry habitation in the midst of water.
These, and many other examples, evince the marvellous