Chap. 27.] YATIIETIES OF THE SPIDER. 401 



numerous kinds ; one of which resembles the ant, but is much 

 larger, with a red head, black as to the other parts of the 

 body, and covered with white spots. Its sting is much more 

 acute than that of the wasp, and it lives mostly in the vicinity 

 of ovens and mills. The proper remedy is, to present before 

 the eyes of the person stung another insect of the same de- 

 scription, a purpose for which they are preserved when found 

 dead. Their husks also, found in a dry state, are beaten up 

 and taken in drink for a similar purpose. The young of the 

 weasel, too, as already 45 stated, are possessed of a similar pro- 

 perty. The Greeks give the name of "phalangion" also to a 

 kind of spider, but they generally distinguish it by the surname 

 of the "wolf." 46 A third kind, also known as the "phalan- 

 gium," is a spider with a hairy 47 body, and a head of enormous 

 size. When opened, there are found in it two small worms, 

 thej' say : these, attached in a piece of deer's skin, before sun- 

 rise, to a woman's body, will prevent conception, according to 

 what Caecilius, in his Commentaries, says. This property lasts, 

 however, for a year only ; and, indeed, it is the only one of all 

 the anti-conceptives 48 that I feel myself at liberty to mention, 

 in favour of some women whose fecundity, quite teeming with 

 children, 49 stands in need of some such respite. 



There is another kind again, called " rhagion," 50 similar to 

 a black grape in appearance, with a very diminutive mouth, 

 situate beneath the abdomen, and extremely short legs, which 

 have all the appearance of not being fully developed. The bite 

 of this last insect causes fully as much pain as the sting of the 

 scorpion, and the urine of persons who are injured by it, pre- 

 sents filmy appearances like cobwebs. The asterion 51 would be 

 identical with it, were it not distinguished by white streaks 

 upon the body : its bite causes failing in the knees. But 

 worse than either of these last, is a blue spider, covered with 

 black hair, and causing dimness of the sight and vomiting of 

 a matter like cobwebs in appearance. A still more dangerous 

 kind is one which differs only from the hornet, in form, in 



45 In c. 16 of this Book. 46 " Lupus." See B. xi. c. 28. 



47 The Tarantula has been suggested, but that is a native of Italy, 



48 " Atocium." 49 " Plena liberis." 



50 From 'pa, a " grape." 



51 Or " starred " spider. Nicander describes all these varieties of the 

 Phalangium. 



VOL. V^ D D 



