File:My garden neighbors; true stories of nature's children (1905) (14752397205).jpg

Identifier: mygardenneighbor00reed (find matches)
Title: My garden neighbors; true stories of nature's children
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Reed, L(ucas) A(lbert) (from old catalog)
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Washington, D.C., Review and herald pub. ass'n
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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et she has three hookedclaws as sharp as those of a cat, and besidethese a number of fine, sharp needles. Sur-rounding both her claws and spines is a lot oflong, stiff hairs. It is with these hooked feetof hers that she holds on to walls and to herstrange spider webs. She can do things notrained athlete or acrobat ever could learnto do. She uses her feet, much as the carpenteruses his tools, in building her house of spidersilk. Besides, she uses her feet to hold herfood up to her mouth while she eats, for shehas no fingers, as you have. And when she wants to brush the dust offher pink gown, she does not ask to borrow aclothes-brush, but simply brushes off the dustwith the soft brushes of hairs that she carrieson her legs. If you wonder what else she does withthese eight legs and feet of hers, just watchher some evening shortly after sundown, andI think you will find that she has use for everyone of them. In fact, you will find it as hardto watch at once all eight of her legs as it 136
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MALE AND FEMALE REDWING BLACKBIRD MRS. SPINNER would be to watch all the doings in a three-ring circus. Another strange thing about her is that herteeth and tongue are outside of her mouthinstead of inside. I think the reason for thisis that she wants more room for them thanher mouth can allow for. Just think whatwould happen if some people should findmore room for their tongues than they nowhave! Since Mrs. Spinners teeth and tongue areoutside of her mouth, all of her food has tobe chewed before it goes inside. For thispurpose she has what seems like a short pairof legs just in front of her real legs with whichshe holds her food while it is being chewed.These are called her palps. At the base ofthe palps is a set of teeth. And as if this wasnot enough teeth, she has two more sets, fast-ened to the front of her head, on what arecalled the mandibles. And at the outermost corner of the mandi-bles, Mrs. Spinner carries a spear, for she isa great body to go hunting; in fact, she makesher

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