NATURAL HISTORY. 48\ 



is composed of many thousand lines. When the web is com- 

 pleted, the Spider generally hides itself under a leaf or other 

 convenient lurking-place, and from thence pounces upon any 

 unwary fly that has entangled itself in the slender meshes. 

 Should the fly be a large one, the Spider rapidly encircles it 

 with fresh threads until it has bound its wings and legs to the 

 body, and then breaking off the few threads that held it to the 

 net, bears it off triumphantly to its hiding-place. Frequently 

 the Geometrical Spider sits in the centre of the web, appar- 

 ently enjoying the air, and if disturbed shakes the net so vio- 

 lently that its shape is completely obscured by the rapidity of 

 the vibrations. 



The House Spider makes a thicker and irregular web, and 

 hides itself at the bottom of a silken tunnel communicating 

 with the web.* 



Several endeavours have been made to procure silk from 

 spiders, but although sufficient has been obtained to weave 

 gloves from, yet spiders are so pugnacious that they cannot be 

 kept together. The eggs of the Spiders are enclosed in a silken 

 bag, and when hatched, the young keep closely together, and 

 when dispersed by an alarm, soon reassemble. 



The Tarantula, whose bite was fabled to procure convulsions 

 which could only be appeased by music, is a spider of consider- 

 able size, inhabiting the south of Europe. It lives in holes 

 about four inches deep in the ground. 



THE SCORPION. 



These formidable creatures inhabit most of the hotter parts 

 of the globe. They are quite as pugnacious as the spiders, and 

 if several are placed in one box, they will fight until few sur- 

 vive, who immediately devour their fallen foes. 



The maxillae of the SCORPION are developed into large claws, 

 like those of the lobster. With these, the Scorpion seizes its 

 prey, and while holding it pierces it with its sting, which is 

 situated at the extremity of its tail. The tail is composed of 

 six joints, rendering it very flexible. 



* An acquaintance of mine had so far tamed a huge house spider, that it would 

 come and take a fly out of his hand. He states, that as it sat at the bottom of its den, 

 its eyes gleamed like diamonds. 



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