SPIDERS. 131 



None of these spiders have a separate head, that part of the 

 body and the thorax being fused together, and forming what is 

 called by naturalists a " cephalothorax," i. e. a head-thorax. The 

 same structure may be observed in the scorpion, and also in the 

 common lobster, the shrimp, and other Crustacea. The eyes, as 

 in all spiders, are rather close together, and are placed upon the 

 upper part of this cephalothorax ; but so large are the bases of 

 the jaws, that they rise far above the level of the cephalothorax: 

 and if the eyes were placed in the ordinary manner, would act 

 like the "blind" that is hung over the eyes of a bad-tempered 

 bull. In order, however, to enable the spider to see objects in its 

 front, a sort of little turret rises from the cephalothorax, and on 

 its summit are placed the eyes. Naturalists familiarly call this 

 projection the " watch-tower." 



This spider inhabits moist situations, and burrows into the 

 banks, the direction of the burrow being at first horizontal and 

 then sloping downward. It is lined with a remarkably Gompact 

 silken tube, beautifully white, and about half an inch in diame- 

 ter. The upper part of the tube is rather larger than the lower, 

 and projects from the earth, falling forward so as to form a flap, 

 which protects the mouth of the burrow. Specimens of this re- 

 markable spider have been obtained from several parts of En- 

 gland. 



Nearly one hundred and fifty years ago, Sibilla Merian pub- 

 lished her famous account of the insects of Surinam, wherein are 

 several statements that were first received without scruple, after- 

 ward doubted, and finally disbelieved. The most important of 

 these controverted statements was that in which she mentioned 

 that the gigantic spiders of Surinam caught the humming-birds, 

 killed them, and sucked all the juices out of their bodies. This 

 statement appeared to be of so wild a character, that naturalists 

 might well be pardoned for refusing credit to it, especially as 

 Madame Merian did not offer herself as an eye-witness, but mere- 

 ly related the story on the authority of the natives. 



There is certainly nothing in the comparative sizes of the two 

 creatures which would render such a feat impossible, for the spi- 

 der has a body nearly as large as that of a sparrow, and its ex- 

 panse of limb is seven or eight inches, while the humming-bird is 

 scarcely bigger than the common humble-bee of our gardens and 

 fields. Still it did seem so strange that a spider should attack a 



