36 PTR TE” MLIX. 
Spider. They have eight legs, with fix joints, thickly befet with 
hairs, and terminating in two crooked moveable claws, which have 
little teeth like a faw; ata {mall diftance from thefe claws, but placed 
higher up, is another, fomewhat like a cock’s fpur, by the affiftance 
of which it adheres to it’s webs; but the weapon wherewith it feizes 
and kills its prey is a pair of fharp crooked claws, or forceps, placed 
in the fore-part of the head. They can open or extend thefe pincers 
as occafion may require; when undifturbed they fuffer them to lie one 
upon another. Mr. Lewenhoeck fays, that each of thefe claws has a 
{mall aperture, or flit, through which he fuppofes a poifonous juice is 
injected 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 exa¢tnefs 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 {pinning it into thread. This 
fubftance, when examined accurately, will 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 fubftance proceeds; it adheres to 
any thing it is prefled againit, and being drawn out, hardens in the 
air. “The Spider can contract 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 
notwith{tanding compofed of five joined together, and thefe are many 
times doubled when the web is in formation.” 
The Spider parallels defign, 
Sure as Du Moivre, without rule or line. 
PopE. 
PLATE 
