INSECTA. 91 



The first order is separated into two families, namely, 

 Spiders and Scorpions. 



The Arachnce, or Spider has eight legs, and from six 

 to eight eyes. On the posterior portion of the body are 

 found five warts, termed spinnerets, by whose agency the 

 silk, a matter secreted by a peculiar apparatus in the 

 abdomen of the spider, escapes through a small opening, 

 and is spun into threads of delicate texture but considerable 

 strength. These threads, at the moment of escaping 

 from the spinnerets, are glutinous and require to be 

 dried before employed, but in weather when the tempera- 

 ture is favorable, a single instant is sufficient for this 

 purpose ; nevertheless, while it is yet moist the spider 

 fastens the ends of the threads to such objects as are 

 intended to support the structure of his web. Attempts 

 have been made to manufacture gloves and stockings 

 from spiders' silk, but without success, as the quantity 

 furnished by each is so small that it would require en- 

 tirely too many spiders to obtain it in sufficient quantity 

 to be useful. Most spiders, as is well known, construct 

 their webs very skillfully, with a peculiar hiding-place 

 in the center or bottom, in which citadel it places itself. 

 The slightest movement of one of the threads which go 

 out from the net gives notice that a victim is caught, 

 and in an instant the wily watcher sallies forth and seizes 

 the prey. Many spiders have their mandibles furnished 

 with a kind of venomous dart, with which he pierces 

 the victim ; one stroke is mostly sufficient ; this accom- 

 plished, the spider sucks the juices, and rejects all the 

 other portions of the body. The female spiders also 

 employ their silk in constructing bags to contain their 

 eggs, until the young are able to come forth. They are 

 a fierce and voracious race, and when confined attack and 



