A. JEJ. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 829 



38. — Introduction of Arachnids and Myriapods. 



a. — Araneina (Spiders). 



The only native spider mentioned by the early writers was the 

 great Silk-spider (JVephila clavipes Fabr.). Figures 205, a, o. 



At first it was thought by the settlers that its strong silk was that 

 of a silkworm, and later that it indicated conditions favorable for 

 the production of commercial silk. 



The following is Strachy's account of it, 1612 : 



" Certaine spiders, indeed, of a very large size, are found hang- 

 inge upon the trees ; but insteade of being dangerous, or any way 

 harmefull (as in other places), they are here of a most pleasinge and 

 beautifull aspect, all over as it were, deckt with silver, gold, and 

 perle ;* and their webbs (woven in the sommer upon trees) are found 

 to be perfect silck, and that as well in respect of substance as coulour, 

 and so stronge they are generally that birds bigger and by much 

 stronger than sparrowes, are often taken and snarled in them as in 

 netts." 



Richard Stafford, in a letter to the Royal Society of London, 

 written July 16, 1668, and published in its Transactions, describes 

 its habits as follows: — 



" Here are Spiders, that spin their Webbs betwixt Trees standing 

 seven or 8 fathom asunder ; and they do their Work by spirting 



* The colors of adults, after brief preservation, as studied by me, are as follows : 

 The color of the abdomen varies considerably; the largest ones are reddish 

 brown, chestnut-brown to brownish yellow, often with an orange tint pos- 

 teriorly ; a narrow, pale silvery band crosses the anterior part of the abdomen, 

 just back of the hump ; two dorsal rows of small, round, pale silvery or golden 

 spots, four or five spots in each row ; numerous other smaller silvery or golden 

 spots, irregular in shape, are scattered over the abdomen, most numerous on the 

 sides and posterior end: a silvery cross-band also occurs on the under side, ante- 

 riorly ; also small blotches, which sometimes form two lateral streaks and a 

 bracket- shaped transverse line on the middle area. Dorsal surface usually has 

 a dark median line with irregular dark lines diverging backward from it ; dark 

 brown around the spinnerets. 



Thorax above dark brown, but thickly covered with silvery scales ; beneath, 

 dark brown ; Falcers and distal joints of palpi black ; legs dull orange-yellow 

 or orange-brown, with a wide band of dark brown or black at all the joints ; plu- 

 mose hairs black ; tarsi long, blackish, except proximally. 



The larger examples are 5.25 to 5.50 inches (130-140 mm ) across the outstretched 

 legs; length of body, 28 to 30'"' n ; of abdomen, 23 m,n ; breadth of abdomen, 12""". 

 Adults, taken late in summer, were sent by Mr. T. G. Gosling. 



