829 A. EF. Verrill— The Bermuda Islands. ALT 
38.—Introduction of Arachnids and Myriapods. 
a.—Araneina (Spiders). 
The only native spider mentioned by the early writers was the 
great Silk-spider (Wephila clavipes Fabr.). Figures 205, a, 0. 
At first it was thought by the settlers that its strong silk was that 
of a silkworm, and later that it indicated conditions favorable for 
the production of commerciai silk. 
The following is Strachy’s account of it, 1612: 
“Certaine spiders, indeed, of a very large size, are found hang- 
inge upon the trees; but insteade of being dangerous, or any way 
harmefull (as in other place’), they are here of a most pleasinge and 
beautifull aspect, all over as it were, deckt with silver, gold, and 
perle ;* and their webbs (woven in the sommer upon trees) are found 
to be perfect silck, and that as well in respect of substance as coulour, 
and so stronge they are generally that birds bigger and by much 
stronger than sparrowes, are often taken and snarled in them as in 
netts.” 
Richard Stafford, in a letter to the Royal Society of London, 
written July 16, 1668, and published in its Transactions, describes 
its habits as follows:— 
“Here are Spiders, that spin their Webbs betwixt Trees standing 
seven or 8 fathom asunder; and they do their Work by spirting 
* The colors of adults, after brief preservation, as studied by me, areas follows : 
The color of the abdomen varies considerably; the largest ones are reddish 
brown, chestnut-brown to brownish yellow, often with an orange tint pos- 
teriorly ; a narrow, pale silvery band crosses the anterior part of the abdomen, 
just back of the hump; two dorsal rows of small, round, pale silvery or golden 
spots, four or five spots in each row; numerous other smaller silvery or golden 
spots, irregular in shape, are scattered over the abdomen, most numerous on the 
sides and posterior end; a silvery cross-band also occurs on the under side, ante- 
riorly ; also small blotches, which sometimes form two lateral streaks and a 
bracket-shaped transverse line on the middle area. Dorsal surface usually has 
a dark median line with irregular dark lines diverging backward from it; dark 
brown around the spinnerets. 
Thorax above dark brown, but thickly covered with silvery scales ; beneath, 
dark brown; Falcers and distal joints of palpi black; legs dull orange-yellow 
or orange-brown, with a wide band of dark brown or black at all the joints ; plu- 
mose hairs black ; tarsi long, blackish, except proximally. 
The larger examples are 5.25 to 5.50 inches (130-140™™) across the outstretched 
legs; length of body, 28 to 30™; of abdomen, 23™"; breadth of abdomen, 12™™, 
Adults, taken late in summer, were sent by Mr. T. G. Gosling. 
