PULMONARIA. 



where she patiently hangs, head downward ; and, her 

 feet extended upon the rays, " lives along the line," 

 until the arrest of some unwary Fly rouses her to 

 vigorous action. Approaching the struggling victim, 

 she pours out her glutinous web in extraordinary 

 profusion, directing it by means of her hind feet in a 

 broad and dense ribbon around the Fly, whose every 

 limb is rapidly enveloped by it. The pointed poison- 

 claws are now plunged into its body, and the juices 

 sucked at leisure. If, however, for some reason, she 

 do not choose to devour the Insect, it being too for- 

 midable or perhaps unpalatable, she shackles it with a 

 little web, and then with great skill and ease bites 

 asunder the threads which hold it, and drops it clear 

 of the net. 



Salticus,* the Hunting -Spider. 



These little creatures, scorning the stratagem of a 

 web, seize their prey by open violence ; bounding 

 upon it like the lion or tiger. Few persons can be 

 so unobservant as not to have often seen a little black 

 and white Spider (S.~ Scenicus) with short, thick legs, 

 and lengthened form, not quite so big as a House- 

 fly, which glides and jumps hither and thither on 

 sunny days, on window-sills, palings, &c. Always 

 vigilant, whenever he sees a fly settle near him, he 

 cautiously glides to it, often without turning round, 

 until, being arrived within a few inches, he suddenly 

 leaps upon his prey, and very rarely misses it. 



* Salto, to leap. 



