Chap. VII.] 



CEYLON INSECTS. 



295 



over by the wind or its own weight, and wrapped round 

 the nucleus in the centre, tlie spider replacing it by a 

 fresh sheet, to be in turn detached and added to the 

 mass within. 



Walckenaer has described a species of large size, under 

 the name of Olios Taprobanius, which is very common 

 and conspicuous from the fieiy hue of the under surface, 

 the remainder being covered with gray hak so short 

 and fine that the body seems almost denuded. It spins 

 a moderate-sized web, hung vertically between two sets 

 of strono; Hues, stretched one above the other athwart 

 the pathways. Some of the spider-cords thus carried 

 horizontally from tree to tree at a considerable height 

 from the ground are so strong as to cause a painful check 

 across the face when moving quickly against them ; and 

 more than once in riding I have had my hat lifted off my 

 head by a smgle thread.^ 



Separated by marked pecuharities of structure, as well 

 as of instinct, from the spiders which hve in the open 

 air, and busy themselves in pro\iding food during the 

 day, the Mygale fasciata is not only sluggish in its habits, 

 but disgusting in its form and dimensions. Its colom' is a 

 gloomy brown, interrupted by hi^egular blotches and faint 

 bands (whence its trivial name) ; it is sparingly sprinkled 

 with hairs, and its Hmbs, when expanded, stretch over 

 an area of six to eight inches in diameter. It is famihar 

 to Em-opeans in Ceylon, who have given it the name, 

 and ascribed to it the fabulous propensities, of the 

 Tarentula.^ 



' Over the countiy generally are 

 scattered species of GasteracantJia, 

 remarkable for their firm shell-co- 

 A-ered bodies, with projecting knobs 

 an-anged in pairs. In habit these 

 anomalons-looking Epeiridce appear 

 to differ in no respect from the 

 rest of the family, waylaj-ing their 

 prey in similar situations and in the 

 same manner. 



^Vnother very singidar subgenus, 



met with in Ceylon, is distlnguislied 

 by the abdomen being dilated behind, 

 and armed with two long spines, arch- 

 ing obliquely backwards. These ab- 

 nonnal kinds are not so handsomely 

 coloured as the smaller species of 

 t}-pical form. 



* Species of the true TarcnUdcp are 

 not uncommon in Ceylon ; they are 

 all of veiy small size, and perfectly 

 harmless. 



u 4 



