84. The Hiftory of Book I. 



which are of a folid matter, and of a black colour, fo fmooth 

 and fnining. that fome curious perfbns have them fet in gold for 

 Tooth-picks , and are highly efteemed by thofe who know 

 they are endued with a vertue to preferve from pain and all 

 corruption thofe parts that have been rubbed therewith. 



When thefe Spiders are grown old, they are covered all over 

 with a fwarthy Down, which is as foft and as clofeas Velvet .* 

 their body is fupported by ten feet, which are a little hairy on 

 the fides , and have below certain fmall points like brifrle9, 

 which help them to faften more eafily on thofe places up which 

 they would climb .* All thefe feet iflue out of the fore- part of 

 the Infect, having each of them four joynts, and at the ends 

 they are armed with a black and hard horn, which is divided 

 into two parts like a fork. 



They every year lhiftoff their old ikin as the Serpents do, 

 as aifo the two tuQies which ferve them for teeth, and are their 

 defenlive arms 5 thofe who meet with thefe precious exuviae 

 may therein obferve the perfect figure of their body, fuch as it 

 isreprefenred among the Sculps of this Chapter. 



Their eyes are very little, and lye fo deep in their heads that 

 they feem to be only two fmall points.- they feed on Flies and 

 fuch vermine,and it hath been obferv 'd,thatin fome places their 

 Webs are fo ftrong, that the little Birds caught in them have 

 had much ado to get away .• the fame thing is affirmed of the 

 Spiders which are found in the Bermudez, Iflands inhabited 

 by the Englifh : It is probable they are of the fame kind. 



FLYING-TTGER. 



THere is another Infect called by fome the Flying-Tyger, 

 becaufe its body is chequer'd with fpots of feveral co- 

 lours, as the Tyger is .* It is about the bignefs of the homed 

 Beetle.* The head is (harp, and hath two great eyes as green 

 and fparkling as an Emerald .* his mouth is arm'd with two hard * 

 hooks extreamly lharp , with which he holds faft his prey, 

 while he gets out the fubftance of it.* The whole body is co- 

 ver'd with a hard and fwarthy crnftinefs, which ferves him for 

 armor : Under his wing9, which are alfo of a folid matter, 

 there are four lefier wings which arti as thin as any jilk : It hath 

 fix legs, each whereof hatri three joynts, and they are briftled 

 with certain little prickles.* Intheday time he is continually 

 catching other Inie&s *, and in the night he fits on the Trees, 

 whence he makes a noife like that of the Cigales. 



BEES, and fome other Infe&s. 



THe Bees which are in the Iflands, differ not much from 

 thofe of the Southern part of America^ but both kinds 



are 



