INSECTS. 
229 
it consisted of an Ant-hill* which could not be ap- 
proached without danger of being devoured. 
30. Its height was from fifteen to twenty feet, and 
its base thirty or forty feet square. He was in- 
formed that it became necessary to destroy these 
nests, by raising a sufficient force to dig a trench all 
round, and fill it with fagots, which were after- 
wards set on fire. 
31. Then fire-arms were employed from a dis- 
tance, to drive the insects out, and make them run 
into the flames. This was in South America ; and 
African travellers have met with them in the same 
formidable numbers and strength. 
THE SPIDER. 
32. There are several kinds of Spiders, all of 
wdiich have eight crooked legs, two arms, six or 
eight eyes, and the head furnished with two claws, 
or feelers, like pincers, a little below the point of 
which the insect emits a poison. 
33. The Spider is supplied with a glutinous mat- 
ter within its body, which it uses for the purpose of 
making its web. It spins out this glue into a fine 
thread, which it fastens upon some object, and then 
strains it across to some other point, doubling and 
How is the Spider distinguished ? How does it construct its 
web ? 
20 
