394 
CLASS ARACHNIDA. 
fellow-labourers in the Encyclopedic Methodique, M. Amedee 
Lepelletier de St. Fargeau, has observed, that these animals, 
as well as the Crustacea, possess the faculty of regenerating 
their lost members. 
I have ascertained that a single sting of an arane'id of 
middle size will kill our domestic fly in the space of a few 
minutes. It is also certain, that the bite of those large 
araneides of South America, which are known under the 
name of crab-spiders, and which we range in the genus 
my gale, will kill small vertebrated animals, such as little 
birds, colibris, pigeons, &c., and may produce a violent 
attack of fever in man himself. The wound even of some 
species of our southern climates, has proved mortal. We 
may, then, without adopting all the fables which Baglivi and 
others have put forth respecting the tarantula, be cautious, 
especially in warm climates, of the bite of the araneides, and 
particularly of the large species. Divers species of the genus 
spltex of Linnaeus seize the araneides, pierce them with their 
sting, and transport them into the holes where they have 
deposited their eggs, that they may serve as food for their 
young. Most part of these animals perish in the after season ; 
but there are some wdiich live many years, and of this num- 
ber are the mygale, lycosa, and probably several others. 
Though Pliny says that the phalangium are unknown in 
Italy, we nevertheless presume that these last araneides, and 
other large species, spinning no w T eb, and also the galeodes, 
are the animals designed collectively by that name, and of 
which many species are distinguished. Such w r as also the 
opinion of Mouftet, w r ho has figured as a species of phalangium, 
a lycosa, or a mygale of the island of Candia. 
Lister, w r ho w as the first properly to observe the araneides 
w hose habits fell under his notice, viz. those of Great Britain, 
has laid the basis of a natural distribution, which all subse- 
quent authors have done little more than modify. The more 
