e lodged in its hide. I came to the conclusion that
firing pistols at these animals was poor and mean sport.

What a lovely day it was! and how we enjoyed the excursion! Just think
of sitting in your summer clothing on a day in January, and passing
through scenery where the trees and shrubs are all green. We returned to
Jacksonville just in time to see the sun set, and we shall not soon
forget our visit among the alligators.

UNCLE CHARLES'S NEPHEW.

[Illustration]

THE SPIDER AND HER FAMILY.

EVERY child has seen spiders in plenty, spinning their webs in some
corner; or, after the web or tent is securely fastened and finished,
lying in wait for some unfortunate fly or mosquito.

[Illustration]

Oftentimes in these webs small brown bags are to be seen, and these, if
opened, will be found to contain a great many little eggs which the
spider has laid; or, sometimes when you open them, you will find that
the eggs have just hatched, and that there is a bag full of tiny spiders
that have not yet seen the light.

Spiders indeed have as many children sometimes as the "Old woman who
lived in a shoe;" but, unlike that famed personage, they seem to know
just what to do. It is very interesting to watch them, and see how they
manage their little ones.

One day as I was walking on a country road, where there was not much
travel, my attention was caught by a large spider in the dust at my
feet, so large that I stopped to look at it. Its body seemed rough and
thick, while its legs were short. I took a stick, and poked it, when,
presto change! my spider had a small, round, smooth body, and long legs.

Truly this was more strange than any sleight-of-hand trick I had ever
seen. I had heard of snakes and frogs shedding their skins, and many
other queer stories of animals and insects, but of nothing at all like
this.

I stooped closer to the ground to see if I could get a clew to the
mystery, and found that the dust all about the large spider was alive
with little ones that she had just shaken off. What a load! And how did
they ever get up on her back? Did they run up her slender legs, and
crowd and cling on?

How I wished I knew the spider language, that I might find out why this
mother weighed herself down with such a burden of little ones as she
walked the street! Was she giving them an airing, and showing them the
world? or had the broom of some housemaid swept away her web,