On Morth American Spiders. 107 



or perhaps seven new species from New England, but which are too 

 much dried up to be well delineated or described. That single fact 

 shows how far this is from being a complete list of North American 

 Spiders. The famous Tarantula of the South of Europe, the 

 bite of which, for many years, was supposed to produce a disease that 

 music alone could cure, belongs to this genus ; and I found on Round 

 Hill, Mass. a species CLycosa fatifera, my catalogue) which is prob- 

 ably very closely related to the European species, and which dwells 

 in holes, nearly a foot deep. These holes seem to be dug by the 

 spider, and to be increased gradually, as its size may require ; the 

 opening has a ring of filaments woven by the spider to prevent the 

 filling up of the cavity by rain. It is in this genus also that we may 

 witness astonishing instances of maternal tenderness and courage ; 

 and that too in the most cruel race of animals, a race in which fero- 

 city renders even the approach of the sexes a perilous act, and con- 

 demns every individual to perpetual solitude, and apprehensions of 

 its own kind. When a mother is found with the cocoon containing 

 its progeny, if this be forcibly torn from her, she turns round and 

 grasps it with her mandibula3. All her limbs, one by one, may then 

 be torn from her body without forcing her to abandon her hold. But 

 if, without mangling the mother, the cocoon be skillfully removed 

 from her, and suddenly thrown out of sight, she instantaneously loses 

 all her activity, seems paralysed, and coils her tremulous limbs as if 

 mortally wounded ; if the bag be returned, her ferocity and strength 

 are restored the moment she has any perception of its presence, and 

 she rushes to her treasure, to defend it to the last. 



Attus, (Walck.) Salticus, (Latr.) 



- Eyes 8, unequal in size, ° ^ ; legs usually short and proper 



for leaping, of different sizes ; maxillse erect, rounded. Wandering 

 in quest of prey, and leaping, Making no web, but tubes of silk for 

 shelter, in crevices, under bark, &c. Twenty nine species. The 

 numerous species of this genus display skill and varied stratagems to 

 seize their prey, which must be interesting to an observer of nature. 

 I have preserved the name of Attus because the name Atta previ- 

 ously given by Fabricius to a subdivision of Formica could not be 

 mistaken for this, any more than the Romans would casus for casa, 

 and a thousand such words. 



