DISTRIBUTION OF THE ARACHNIDS. 381 



in the Insecta we have always observed to be either 

 partial or imperfect — at aU events^ certainly not obvious. 

 Their instincts are apparently very perfect, and even 

 capable of striking developement ; they are very sangui- 

 nary in disposition, and consequently require the full ex- 

 ercise of these faculties to circumvent their prey, from 

 the latter being instinctively apprehensive of their na- 

 tural enemies. Although best known to ordinary ob- 

 servers from the nets spread forth by many for the 

 purpose of intercepting their supplies of food, and by 

 the elegant reticulation of this delicate filament, which 

 is a glutinous silk, secreted in a liquid state within the 

 body, and transuded through a cluster of small nipples 

 at the apex of the abdomen, yet very many do not pos- 

 sess the means of weaving this web, whence the order 

 has obtained its classical name ; but they roam forth or 

 form pitfalls, and exercise their ingenuity in a variety of 

 ways to obtain their requisite supplies of provisions, 

 which we shall briefly see below. Throughout nature, 

 the two primary functions exercised by animals are self- 

 preservation and the propagation of the species : these 

 are universally obvious ; but in theii" execution, others, 

 conjunctive and collateral, are ellicited, which depend, 

 however, more or less upon the difficulties or facilities 

 that impede orpromote the accomplishmentof the former. 

 The exercise of the second of these primary functions, 

 the propagation of the species, seems to demand in 

 these creatures as much sagacity as the first ; for, from 

 their sanguinary habits, the least powerful individual in 

 this intercourse, must, by some stratagem, elude the 

 fate that inevitably attends it, unless this be resorted 

 to : a remarkable fact, that that passion which tames 

 the bold, and gives courage to the timid, and edul- 

 corates all, here loses its distinctive characteristics, and 

 its usually absolute predominancy ; for it is frequently 

 lost in the superior energy of that which prompts self- 

 preservation. The integument of these animals is often 

 a flexible membrane, although in many it retains the 

 several peculiarities of structure found in the normal 



