SPIDERS, SCORPIONS, AND MITES. 



191 



is drawn out which consists of as many constituent threads 

 as there are minute orifices in her spinnerets. 

 X* Want of space forbids us to do much more than allude to 

 the renowned Tarantula (Lycosa tarentuld) of Italy. The 

 bite of this Spider is reputed to produce lethargy, melan- 

 choly, and delirium, which are only to be cured by the 

 influence of music exciting the patient to dance. It is now 

 pretty well established that these pretended cures were 

 "got up" for the sake of imposing on the credulous. The 

 Spider itself belongs to a very extensive genus, represented 

 in almost all countries, and everywhere displaying the 

 same habits. They live on the ground, running swiftly; 

 the females carrying their large egg-case about with them 

 during the breeding season, and refusing to part with it ; 

 or, if forcibly deprived of it, becoming stupid, and, as it 

 were, stunned, utterly regardless of personal safety, till 

 the dear object is restored, when, in an instant, animation 

 and vigour return. 



As there is a Spider which descends by means of its 

 web into the depths of the water, so there are others 

 which, by the same medium, ascend to the regions of the 

 clouds. These are the Gossamer Spiders {Linyphia, Theri- 

 dion, &c), minute species, scarcely exceeding in size a 

 pin's head. They have the power of shooting out filmy 

 threads into the free air, which, on some undetermined 

 principle, usually thought to be connected with electricity, 

 rise with considerable buoyancy, and at length carry up 

 the little aeronaut with them. After a while, becoming 

 saturated with moisture, they descend, and large tracts of 

 ground are frequently seen, in autumn, covered with the 

 delicate films of flocculent web. 



