454 



HISTORY OF INSECTS. 



times stronger than theii ordinary manufac- 

 ture. 



Of this animal, there are several kinds, 

 slightly differing from each other, either in 

 habits or conformation. 1 The Water-spider 

 is the most remarkable of the number. This 

 insect resembles the common spider in its 

 appearance, except that its hinder part is made 

 rather in the shape of a nine-pin than a ball. 

 They differ in being able to live as well by 

 land as water ; and on being capable of spin- 

 ning as well in one element as the other. 

 Their appearance under water is very remark- 

 able ; for though they inhabit the bottom, yet 

 they are never touched by the element in which 

 they reside, but are inclosed in a bubble of air 

 that, like a box, surrounds them on every side. 

 This bubble has the bright appearance, at the 

 bottom, of quicksilver : and within this they 

 perform their several functions of eating, 



1 The gossamer, bird-catching, and branded spiders 

 are among the most remarkable. Gossamer spiders first 

 appear in the beginning of October, in woods, gardens, 

 and meadows, where their eggs are hatched in safety ; 

 thence they spread themselves over whole districts, and, 

 during the rest of October, and till the middle of Nov- 

 ember, may be found in dry fields throughout Europe. 

 Extensive tracts of land are sometimes seen swarming 

 with them. In the beginning of October, when but very 

 few are hatched, some single threads of their webs, ex- 

 tending from twig to twig, are seen only in the sun. 

 shine : about the middle of the month their threads are 

 more perceptible ; and toward the end, if a person stand 

 in such a position as to see the sunbeams play upon 

 their slender threads, hedges, meadows, cornfields, stub- 

 ble land, and even whole districts, appear covered 

 as with a sort of white gauze. The gossamer spider 

 does not weave a web, but only extends its threads from 

 one place to another. These are so delicate, that a 

 single thread cannot be seen unless the sun shines on it. 

 One of them, to be visible at other times, must be com- 

 posed of at least six common threads twisted together. 

 In serene, calm days, these spiders work with great 

 diligence, especially after the disappearance of the morn- 

 ing fogs. Between twelve and two, however, their 

 industry excites the greatest admiration. A person 

 with a pretty quick eye, or by the help of a glass, may 

 sometimes perceive among the barley stubble such a 

 multitude of these insects extending their threads, that 

 the fields appear as if covered with swarms of gnats. 

 Several of the single threads become twisted together by 

 the gentlest breath of wind, and form perceptible threads, 

 which, being broken by stronger winds, unite into thick 

 threads, or even into balls, arid float through the atmo- 

 sphere. These are then called in Germany, the flying 

 summer, because the summer seems to fly away at the 

 same time. The spiders are conveyed in them : but it 

 is not uncommon to find spiders of other species in them, 

 which have been entangled and dragged away ; and even 

 the webs of other spiders, and the dried husks of insects 

 that have been caught by them, are often found in the 

 gossamer. The gossamer-spiders appear in swarms only 

 during the harvest; but single spiders are to be found 

 through the whole summer. 



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 ab- 

 domen it often measures above three inches. The legs 

 are as thick as a goose's quill, and closely covered with 



spinning, and sleeping, without its ever burst- 

 ing, or in the least disturbing their operations ; 

 sometimes the bubble is seen divided into three 

 distinct apartments ; and in the spring, the 

 male enters one of these to impregnate the 

 female in the manner mentioned above, while 

 the bubble in which he was contained unites 

 with the other, like two drops of water when 

 approached to each other. They spin their 

 webs as well in the water as upon land ; and 

 it is most probable that they make their footf 

 of the small insects of either element. 



The Tarantula is also of this species, and 

 deserves particular notice, not for any remark- 

 able properties that really attend it, but for 

 the numerous falsehoods which have been pro- 

 pagated concerning it. What may be said 

 with truth concerning it is, that it is the lar- 

 gest of the spider kind known in Europe, and 

 is a native of Apulia in Italy. Its body is 



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 gen- 

 erally found in the southern division of that continent, 

 and particularly in Guinea, and is a terror to all the 

 feathered tribe. 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 per- 

 ceived 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 mid- 

 dle 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 orbi- 

 cular, and has a transverse excavation. Captain Stedman, 

 while residing in Surinam, had one of them given t 

 him, which he put into a case bottle above eight inches 

 long ; and, when this was filled with spirits, the ani- 

 mal reached the surface with some of its claws, while 

 others rested on the bottom. On the whole, he says, 

 this spider is so hideous a creature, that the very sight 

 of it is sufficient to occasion a tremor of abhorrence, even 

 in persons most accustomed to inspect the deformities of 

 nature. 



The Banded Spider is a native of Barbary, and is as 

 large as a man's thumb. It has yellow bands round the 

 belly, and dusky rings round the legs. It inhabits 

 hedges and thickets. Its webs have large meshes, and 

 it resides in the centre ; the snares are spread for large 

 flies, wasps, drones, and even locusts ; the lesser insects 

 can escape through the meshes. The animal which it 

 entangles is soon bound with strong threads, killed by the 

 spider's jaws, and partly eat if the spider be hungry ; 

 the rest is concealed under some neighbouring dry leaves, 

 covered with a kind of web, and blackish blue in great 

 abundance : its larder is said to be often plentifully 

 stored. Its nest is of the size of a pigeon's egg, divided 

 horizontally, and suspended by the threads of the insect, 

 which are of a silvery white, and stronger than silk. The 

 young ones live in amity, but when grown up are mortal 

 enemies ; they never meet but they fight with violence, 

 and their battle only ends with the death of the weakest : 

 the dead body is carefully stored in the larder. Twelve of 

 these spiders, by way of experiment, were shut up together, 

 and after a battle of eight days the strongest only re- 

 mained alive. Rennie. 



