252 natural history. 1 
der, as a net does from a clofe-weaved piece 
of cloth : but it is, perhaps, more curious 
in its formation. They greatly refemble a 
wheel, that has bars croffing the fpokes at 1 
equal diftances. Thefe fpaces are in propor- 
tion to the fize of the prey the fpider defigns 
lhall not pafs through them. Being too fmall 
for large flies, moths, butterflies. See. to 
pafs through with their expanded wings, 
fuch generally fall the victims of the fpider, 
whenever they unknowingly fly againll its 
web. 
Having given this general defeription of 
W'hat is moft extraordinary in the fpider, %ye 
fhall now fay a few words on the 
A R A N E A D I A D E M A. 
r/,e DIADEM’D SPIDER. 
' HIS infe£t grows very large. The upper 
part of its belly is mod beautifully embel- 
iiflied with black and white dots and circles ; 
in the middle of them is a band, compofed 
of oblong fliaped fpots, of a pearl colour ; 
refembling, in their arrangement, the fillet 
of an eaflern king : the ground ol this fillet, 
when viewed in the fun, through a glafs, is 
perhaps one of the richeft and mofl: Iplendid 
Ipeftacles nature has to exhibit, in all her 
tribe of infects. The eyes are eight in 
number, 
