THE SPIDER. 117 



Several species General description. 



CHAP. V. 



" The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine ! 

 Feels at each thread tud lives along the line." 



POPE. 



" But chief to th' heedless flies the window prove* 

 A constant death; where, gloomily retir'd, 

 The villain spider lives: cunning and fierce, 

 Mixture abhorr'd ! Amid a mangled heap 

 Of carcases, in eager watch he sits, 

 O'erlooking all his waving snares around." 



THOMSON. 



THE SPIDER, 



' < '" *' 



THERE are several species of this insect, but 

 every kind has two divisions in its body. The 

 fore part, containing the head and breast, is 

 separated from the hinder part, or belly, by a 

 very slender thread, through which, however, 

 there is a communication from one part to the 

 other. The fore part is covered with a hard 

 shell, as well as the legs, which adhere to the 

 breast ; the hinder part is clothed with a supple 

 skin, beset all over with hair. They have seve- 



