l20 Modern system. 



the apex of which bears a forceps with equal fingers : palpi formed 

 like legs, terminated by a hook : boJtj more or less oval. Second 

 pair of legs almost six times the length of the body : tarsi all capil- 

 lary, very slender, the first joints elongate, four times (or more) 

 longer than broad. 



Sp. 1. F/i. Opitio. Latr. — INIale, Phalangiimi cornutum. Linn., Fair. 

 Female, Phalangium Opilio. Linn., Fair. 



Inhabits Europe on walls and rocks. 



Genus 5. OPILIO. Leach. 



Ej/es placed on a common peduncle : mamlibks corneous, subcylindric, 

 compressed, biarticulatc, indexed or gcnicuiated at the second joint, 

 the apex of which has a tbrceps with cipial fingers: paijii formed 

 like legs, tenninated by a hook: bodi/ more or less oval. Second pair 

 of legs three or four times the lenglhofthe body, the fourth and fol- 

 lowing joints a little elongate, twice as long as broad. 



Sp. 1. Op. Histrix. 



Inhabits France and England. 



Fam. II. AK.\NE.iD.£. Leach. 

 Araneides. Latreilie. 



Ei/es six or eight: anus with nipples for spinning. 



The animals composing this mo.st natural family arc familiarly 

 denominated Spiders, and, as before observed, were included by 

 Linne, Fabricius, and other authors in one genus, which they called 

 Aranea; but as the species are \ery numerous, they were obliged to 

 divide them into sections, which they distinguished by the situa- 

 tions of their e^'cs. These organs are immoveable, and consist each 

 of a single lens, which deprives them of the faculty of seeing in 

 every direction. 



"The Ar.4NEad,-e are by far the most interesting animals of that 

 class of which they form the type ; and consetpiently their habits 

 and structure excited the attention of naturalists at a very early pe- 

 riod. Spiders frequently change their skins, and their skins are "often 

 fotuid in their webs, being dry and transparent, with their mandibles 

 attached to them. When about to cast their covering, they suspend 

 themselves in some corner, and creep out of a fissure which takes 

 place on their back, gradually withdrawing their legs from the skin, 

 as it from a glove. They have likewise the power of reproducing 

 their legs : the mode in which this takes place was first made known 

 by that accurate observer of nature. Sir Joseph Banks." 



" As he was writing one evening in his study, one of the web- 

 spinning spiders, of more than the middle size, passed over some 

 papers on the table, holding a fly in its mouth. Much surprised to 

 see a spider of this description walking about with its prey, and 



