ARACHNIDA. G33 



In most of the spiders (such as Segestria, Dysdera and Ai- 

 gyroueta) tliere are both a tracheary system ami kings. Tlie 

 two stigmata, from which these tracheae lead, open near tiie 

 pulmonary opening. In two other genera, Salticus and Micro- 

 pliantes, there are two stigmata situated at the posterior end of 

 the abdomen. Siebold calls attention to a tracheary system 

 in many Araneae opening by a transverse fissure placed near 

 the spinnerets. From this opening a main trunk leads in, 

 soon dividing into four simple tracheae, which are not round as 

 usual, "but are flattened, riband-like, and without the trace 

 of a spiral filament ; these extend, with a gradual attenuation, 

 to the base of the abdomen. . . . The air received into these 

 organs is separated into as fine portions as that of the lungs.* 



The so called lungs of the spiders are little round sacs open- 

 ing by transverse fissures on the under side of the base of the 

 abdomen. Tlie inner surface is divided into thin lamellaj, 

 connected together like the leaves of a book. Each of these 

 is formed by a membranous fold, between the two leaves of 

 which the air enters from the general ca^•ity of the lung, and 

 is divided into very minute portions. No traces of blood ves- 

 sels have been found in these pulmonary lamellae." (Siebold.) 



Among the organs of special secretion the poison and silk 

 glands require description. There are two poison glands 

 emptying into the throat, and thence opening out through hol- 

 lows in the jaws. (Plate 10, fig. 3, a, b.) In the scorpion the 

 poison gland is lodged in the last abdominal segment at the 

 base of the sting. 



The silk, as contained in the glands, is a viscid transparent 

 fluid, which on exposure to the air hardens into silk ; it is drawn 

 out by the legs through three, rarelj^ two pairs of spinnerets. 

 There are usually five of these glands lodged in the abdomen, 

 and the "threads probably have different qualities, according 

 to the glands from which they are secreted." (Siebold.) 



" To form the thread this liquid is drawn through the tubes, 



♦According to Dr. Burnett, Blanchard regards these anomalous trachejB as 

 only elongated pnlmonarj- sacs. Leuckart, however, considers that these organs 

 are only a sort of trachere deprived of the usual spiral fllament to keep their walls 

 from collapsing, and he considers that the pulmonary sacs of the spider are sim- 

 ply modi fieri tracheae, — Dr. W. I. BurnetVs Translation of Siebolds's Anatomy oj 

 the Invertebrata, 



