( 8 ) 
when it is dry, it cannot be feparated without damaging the web. The Spider performs the 
fame operation at each radius, till it has made the whole circuity approaching continually 
nearer to the centre in a fpiral j nor does it ftop till the whole is completed, and made per- 
fe6lly convenient. 
7. When a web is torn but a little, the Spider repairs it, but not fo regularly and elegantly 
as the original one : if the rent is conliderable, the animal prefers making a new web to re- 
pairing the old one. 
8. The number of radii and circles is not conftantly the fame: I have counted forty-eight 
of the latter in fome webs. 
9. Nature has inftrudled the young Spiders to make webs, without the education and af- 
fiftance of their parents. 
10. Both fexes of the fame fpecies make webs of the fame fortj nor are the webs of the 
young ones at all different, except in fize and ftrength. 
1 1 . If the end of a thread is fixed any where, the thread comes from fome tubercle of the 
Spider^ in a manner fpontaneoufly as it walks along j otherwife not. 
12. This thread, whether it be drawn out by the hand, or emitted voluntarily by the 
animal, is all of one continued length. 
13. I DOUBT whether any one has attempted to guefs at the manner in which the Spider 
may retra6l an emitted thread into its abdomen j and much more whether any one has 
confirmed the hypothefis by probable arguments. At the end of the work, in the defcriptipn 
of the Water-Spider^ I fliall treat fliortly upon the fubje 61 :. 
14. Whilst they are at reft in their webs, they hang from the centre of the under fide, 
with their heads downwards. 
15. The females, at leaft all which I have had an opportunity of obferving, die foon after 
they have laid their eggs. 
16. ^he genuine charaSiers of thefe Spiders are : 
1. Four eyes, of nearly equal magnitude, placed in a fquare, in the middle of the forehead j 
the four others, which ftand two on each fide, varying a little in fituation and fize, will be de- 
fcribed according as they differ in the different fpecies. 
2. The fore legs are the longeft j the fecond pair next 5 then the fourth 5 and the third pair 
is always the fliorteft. 
SPECIES I. 
