St 
CLASS III. ARACHNOID A. 121 
being struck with somewhat unusual in its gait, he caught it, and 
placed it within a glass for examination, when, instead of eight, he 
perceived it had but three legs, which accounted for the inability of 
the creature to spin its web; but the curious circumstance of its 
having changed its usual economy, and having become a hunting 
instead of a spinning spider, as well as a wish to learn whether its 
legs would be renewed, induced him to keep the animal in the glass, 
from whence it could not escape, and to observe its conduct. 
“ On the following morning the anirflal ate two flies given to it, 
V sucking out the juices, but left the carcases entire. Two or three 
'lays afterwards it devoured the body and head of a fly, leaving only 
the wings and legs. After this time it sometimes sucked and some- 
hnies ate the fly given to it. At first it consumed two flies in a day, 
but afterwards not more than one in two days. Its excrement, which 
't voided, was at first of a milky-white colour, but afterwards the 
' v hite had a black spot in the centre, of a more solid appearance than 
’■be surrounding fluid. 
. “ Soon after its confinement it attempted to form a web on the 
side of the vessel, but performed the business very slowly and clum- 
py, from the want of the proper number of legs. In about a fort- 
n, ght it had completed a small web, upon which it generally sat. 
“ A month after having been caught, it shed its skin, leaving the 
slough on the web. After this change five new legs appeared, not 
half as long as the other three legs, and of very little use to the ani- 
'H'd in walking. These new members, how'ever, extended themselves 
a little in three days, and became half as long as the old ones. The 
^eb was now increased, and tire animal continued immoveably sit- 
ing on it in the day time, unless drawn from it, or attracted by a 
% thrown to it as its usual provision. 
“ Twenty-nine days afterwards it again lost its skin, leaving the 
& l°ugh hanging in the web, opposite to a hollow cell it had woven, 
^ as to prevent it from being completely seen when lodged in it. 
he legs were now larger than before the change of skin, and they 
jfrew somewhat longer still in three or four days, but did not attain 
Resize of the old legs. 
I The animal now increased its web, and being put into a small 
jq\v 1 ag a niore commo( ]i ous residence, soon renewed a better web 
hie first. In this state it was left on the first of November. 
° further observations have yet been made on the subject.’’ 
The principal use of the Armeadtc, in the economy of nature, 
' (:<irns to be that of preventing the too great increase of insects." 
j* p . s 1 — Legs simple, hinder eyes not placed on the anterior and su- 
JJ nor Part of the thorax, nor forming an irregular hexagon. The 
0 exterior nipples of the anus longer than the others, and project- 
