1832.] SPIDERS. 35 



adjoining rays. When any large insect, as a grasshopper or wasp, 

 is caught, the spider, by a dexterous movement, makes it revolve 

 very rapidly, and at the same time emitting a band of threads 

 from its spinners, soon envelops its prey in a case like the cocoon 

 of a silkworm. The spider now examines the powerless victim, 

 and gives the fatal bite on the hinder part of its thorax ; then 

 retreating, patiently waits till the poison has taken effect. The 

 virulence of this poison may be judged of from the fact that in 

 half a minute I opened the mesh, and found a large wasp quite 

 lifeless. This Epeira always stands with its head downwards near 

 the centre of the web. When disturbed, it acts differently accord- 

 ing to circumstances: if there is a thicket below, it suddenly falls 

 down; and I have distinctly seen the thread from the spinners 

 lengthened by the animal while yet stationary, as preparatory to 

 its fall. If the ground is clear beneath, the Epeira seldom falls, 

 but moves quickly through a central passage from one to the other 

 side. When still further disturbed, it practises a most curious 

 manoeuvre: standing in the middle, it violently jerks the web, 

 which is attached to clastic twigs, till at last the whole acquires 

 such a rapid vibratory movement, that even the outline of the 

 spider's body becomes indistinct. 



It is well known that most of the British spiders, when a large 

 insect is caught in their webs, endeavour to cut the lines and 

 liberate their prey, to save their nets from being entirely spoiled. 

 I once, however, saw in a hot-house in Shropshire a largo female 

 wasp caught in the irregular web of a quite small spider ; and this 

 spider, instead of cutting the web, most perseveringly continued 

 to entangle the boiy, and especially the wings, of its prey. The 

 wasp at first aimed in vain repeated thrusts with its sting at its 

 little antagonist. Pitying the wasp, after allowing it to struggle 

 for more than an hour, I killed it and put it back into the web. 

 Tho spider soon returned; and an hour afterwards I was much 

 surprised to find it with its jaws buried in the orifice, through 

 which the sting is protruded by the living wasp. I drove the 

 spider away two or three times, but for the next twenty-four hours 

 I always found it again sucking at the same place. The spider 

 became much distended by the juices of its prey, which was many 

 times larger than itself. 



I may here just mention, that I found, near St. Fe Bajada, 

 many large black spiders, with ruby-coloured marks on their 



