THE BIRD-CATCHING SPIDER. 133 



Gigantic size and great musculav power. 



conveys about with it, wrapt up in a ball of 

 white silk. 



The bird-catching spider is of gigantic size, 

 and great muscular power, extending with its 

 feet a space of near ten inches, From the head 

 to the extremity of the abdomen it often mea- 

 sures above three inches. The legs are as thick 

 as a goose's quill, and closely covered with hair. 

 The body is brown, and the fangs are as strong 

 and sharp as in some of the rapacious species of 

 birds. It is not uncommon in many parts of 

 America, but is principally found in the southern, 

 division of that continent, and particularly in 

 Guiana, and is a terror to all the feathered tribes. 

 It resides in the trees, and frequently seizes on 

 small birds, which it destroys by sucking their 

 blood, after having first wounded them by its 

 fangs, which distil a poisonous liquid into the 

 wound. The slit or orifice near the tip of the 

 fangs, through which this poison is emitted, is so 

 visible as to be distinctly perceived without a 

 glass. The eight eyes of this terrible insect are 

 placed somewhat in the form of an oblong square 

 in the front of the thorax. Of these the two 

 middle ones are so large as to be capable of 

 being set in the manner of glasses, and used as 

 microscopes; the rest are smaller, and of an oval 

 shape. The thorax is orbicular, and has a trans- 

 verse central excavation. 



Captain Stedman, while residing in Surinam, 

 had one of them given to him, which he put into 



