3^ PLATE XLIX. 



Spider. They have eight legs, with fix joints, thickly befet with 

 hairs, and terminating in two crooked moveable claws, v/hich have 

 little teeth like a faw; at a fmall diftance from thefe claws, but placed 

 higher up, is another, fomewhat like a cock's fpur, by the afliftance 

 of which it adheres to it's webs ; but the weapon wherewith it feizes 

 and kills its prey is a pair of fliarp crooked claws, or forceps, placed 

 in the fore-part of the head. They can open or extend thefe pincers 

 as occafion may require ; when undiRurbed they fuiFer them to lie one 

 upon another. Mr. Lewenhoeck fays, that each of thefe claws has a 

 fmall aperture, or flit, through which he fuppofes a poifonous juice is 

 injecSled into the wound it makes. 



" The exuvia of the Spider, which may be found in cobwebs, be- 

 ing tranfparent, is an excellent object ; and the fangs, or forceps, may 

 be eafier feparated from it, and examined with more exa6i:nefs than in 

 a living Spider. The contexture of the Spider's web, and their man- 

 ner of weaving them, have been difcovered by the microfcope. The 

 Spider is fupplied with a large quantity of glutinous matter within 

 it's body, and five dugs, or teats, for fpinning it into thread^.^,. This 

 fubftance, v/hen examined accurately, v/ill be found twifted into many 

 coils, of an agate colour, and which, from its tenacity, may be eafily 

 drawn out into threads. The five teats are placed near the extremity 

 of its tail ; from thefe the aforefaid fub fiance proceeds ; it adheres to 

 any thing it is prefied againft, and being drawn out, hardens in the 

 air. The Spider can contra6l or dilate at pleafure the orifices through 

 which the threads are drawn. The threads unite at a fmall diftance 

 from the body, fo that thofe which appear to us fo fine and fingle, are 

 notwithftanding com.pofed of five joined together, and thefe are many 

 times doubled when the web is in formation." * 



The Spider parallels defign, 



without rule or line. 



Pope. 



P LATE 



