48'2 SPIDER. 
and having caused them to be well cleared of dust, 
by properly beating with sticks, he washed them 
perfectly clean in warm water. After this they 
were laid to steep, in a large vessel, with soap, 
salt-petre, and gum arabic. The whole was left 
to boil over a gentle fire for three hours, and were 
afterwards again w’ashed to get out the soapj tlien 
laid to dry for some days, after which they were 
carded, but with much smaller cards than ordinary. 
The silk is easily spun into a fine and strong 
thread: the difficulty being only to collect the 
silk-bags in suflicient cpiantity. 
JVIons^'. Reaumur, among his objections, states, 
that the thread, notwithstanding Mr. Ron’s de- 
scription, is far inferior to that of the silkworm 
both in lustre and strength; the thread of the 
spider’s web, according to this author, bears a 
weight of only twelve grains without breaking; 
whereas that of the silkworm bears the weight of 
thirty-six. 
The egg-bags used for the purpose were, pro- 
bably, those of the Aranea Diadeina, and others 
nearly allied to it. 
AVe have before observed that these insects are 
but ill calculated for living in society. AVlienever 
thus stationed, they never fail to wage war with 
each other. The females in particular are of a 
disposition peculiarly capricious and malignant, 
and it is observed that if the male ha})pens to pay 
liis Courtship at an unfavourable moment, the 
female suddenly springs upon him and destroys 
