OF SERPEN T5. 149 



vity into the end thereof: 'Tis faid the Decoftion of Hornets 

 dropt on the Skin, makes it fvvell. 



IV. I Proceed to the ;S|^/^i?r, another little venemous Infecft, 

 whofe forked Tongue or Sting, is very fine and fliarp j by this he 

 pierces FHes ; and at the fame time, inflils a poifonous Juice into 

 the Wound, by which the Prey being kill'd, it fucks out the 

 Moiflure, and leaves nothing but a bulky dry Carcafe : Tradition 

 fays, it poifons by fpitting, or breathing, becaufe it dare not ap- 

 proach fo near to a large Fly as to a little one ; but keeps at fome 

 diflance, and ufes a kind of (hoving Motion, upon which the 

 Fly has done ftruggling. 



There are various forts of thefe little ftrange Creatures, 

 whofe Stings are hurtful, as the Jljhrius^ (fo called from its re- 

 femblance to a Star) whofe Wound produces Heavinefs and Re- 

 laxation of the Nerves. The Cdej-ukus^ or blue Spider, whofe 

 Sting is attended with Vomiting and Pain at the Heart. The 

 Lycos^ the leaft of the kind, that caufes an Afihmc^ and Swelling 

 about the wounded Part. In the Fhilojophical Tr^anfaSlions, we 

 have a Table of thirty-three kinds of Spiders found in England, 

 by Dr. Lijier *. 



There is fomething very curious and admirable in thofe long 

 Threads they make in the Air, during fome part of the Summer,, 

 efpecially towards September, fo much wonder'd at, in fuch Quan- 

 tities every where. The Method of Operation, I take to be as 

 follows,, viz. 



All Spiders that ij^in in a Thread, are the Makers of thofe 

 Threads, moft vifible in the Autumn. In ail the ways of weav- 

 ing, they ftill let down the Thread they make ufe of, and draw 

 it after them. Attending on one that wrought a Net, I faw it, 

 fays a very nice Obferver, fuddenly in the Mid-work defifl, and* 

 turning his Tail into the Wind, to dart out a Thread, with the 

 Violence we fee Water fpout out of a Spring : This Thread taken 

 up by the Wind, was in a Moment emitted fome Fathoms long, 

 ftill ilTuing out of his Belly; by and by the Spider leapt into the 



Air, and the Thread mounted her up fwifdy. And I found the 



Air fili'd with young and old, failing on their Threads, and un- 

 doubtedly, fays the Relator, feizing Gnats and other Infedts in 



their 



* Lcwthorp, vol. ii p. 793. 



