250 ON THE POISON OF ANIMALS 
near its anterior extremity, at 1» 20™ p.m. Though 
the injury was severe, the life of the insect did not 
become extinct till 7* 41™ p.m. on the 12th. 
September 10th. Temperature766°. The right side 
of the abdomen of a common Wasp was penetrated 
near the middle with the point of a fine needle, at 
Q5 5™ p.m.; a transparent fluid oozed from the 
puncture, and the life of the wasp terminated at 
10° 20™ p.m. 
September 18th. Temperature 60°. A male Ze- 
genaria civilis deeply inserted its fangs near the 
middle of the mesonotum of a House-fly (Musca 
domestica) at 10° 10" a.m., and retained its hold for 
more than an hour and a half. The victim continued 
to manifest unequivocal signs of life till 10° 44™ a.m., 
and appeared to sink gradually from mere exhaustion. 
All the time it was in the grasp of its enemy, with 
the exception of short intervals, it was perceived to 
have a slight nodding motion, which was discovered 
to be caused by the act of deglutition on the part of 
the spider, a synchronous motion being always ob- 
served in the fluid suddenly and copiously propelled 
into the spider’s mouth, and then by degrees reduced 
in volume in exact proportion to the continuance of 
the nutation. Whenever the fluid was withdrawn 
from the mouth a fresh supply was speedily intro- 
duced, and after mingling with that extracted from 
the body of the fly, was conveyed into the stomach 
of the spider by a repetition of the act of swallowing, 
