200 BEETLE. 



weaves its web in neglected rooms ; the Garden Spider, that 

 spreads its toils from tree to tree, and rests in the centre ; 

 the Wandering Spider, that has no abode like the rest ; and 

 the Field Spider, that is sometimes seen mounting-, web 

 and all into the clouds. These are the chief of our native 

 spiders, which, though reputed venomous, are entirely 

 inoffensive. But they form a much more terrible tribe in 

 Africa and America. In those regions, where all the insect 

 species acquire their greatest growth, where the butterfly is 

 seen to expand a wing as broad as our sparrow, and the ant 

 to build an habitation as tall as a man, it is not to be won- 

 dered at that the spiders are seen bearing a proportionable 

 magnitude. In fact, the bottom of the Martico spider's 

 body is as large as a hen's egg, and covered all over with 

 hair. Its web is strong, and its bite dangerous. It is happy 

 for us, however, that we are placed at a distance from these 

 formidable creatures, and that we can examine their history 

 without feeling their resentment. 



THE HERCULES BEETLE, 



A native of South America, is five or six inches in length, 

 with brownish grey wing-covers, marked with black spots. 

 The thorax is armed in front with an immense double 

 horn : the upper one longest, bent downwards, and fur- 

 nished underneath with thick hairs like velvet ; the lower 

 one shorter, and toothed on its upper surface. The female 

 has no horns. There are no others of the tribe so large, 

 though some approach pretty near to it. 



THE BURYING BEETLE 



Is found in the deserts of Tartary, and other places. Its 

 wing-covers are black, striped, spotted, and rough. These 

 Beetles are possessed of surprising strength ; and for the 

 purposes of food for themselves and their future young, 

 they bury the bodies of small birds and animals many 

 times their own size. 



