132 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description of the wandering spider. 



and rich beyond all description. There are vari- 

 eties in color of this spicier when young; some 

 have their abdomen purple, ornamented with 

 \vhite dots, the legs yellow, and annulated with a 

 deeper color ; others have their abdomen of a 

 fine red, likewise ornamented with white, but 

 the legs of a fine pale green color, annulated 

 with dark purple, or black. It inhabits the birch 

 trees. 



The wandering spider is generally of a yellow 

 color, more or less deep; sometimes it is whitish, 

 and even rather green ; the abdomen is large, 

 broad, almost square, with two bands of dark 

 orange, which arising from the thorax descends 

 obliquely on the sides towards the middle. Be- 

 tween the bands are a few small black dots, 

 forming a kind of triangle upon the middle of 

 the abdomen ; oa the thorax are seen two longi- 

 tudinal bands somewhat green, one on each side ; 

 the two foremost pair of legs are very long, and 

 the hinder short, which makes it walk like a 

 crab; it is found upon plants, and is a very 

 lively, active, indefatigable hunter. Without 

 any motion of the head, which is furnished with 

 immovable eyes, it perceives all the flies that, 

 hover round about, does not scare them, but 

 stretches over them its arms furnished with fea- 

 thers, which prove nets in which their wings are 

 entangled. The spider then seizes them with its 

 merciless claws, and sucks their blood. It is 

 said to sit on its eggs, which, however, it often 



