On a large Spider s Fangs. 411 
Number of the Phil. < Tranf. page 868*: 
but Dr. Mead having examined the Weapons 
of feveral Spiders, and particularly of one 
very large, without finding it, was inclinable 
to believe, when he publifhed his curious 
Account of Poifons, that Mr. Leeuwenhoek 
had been miftaken, and that the Fangs were 
capable of inflicting a Wound only * into 
which a poifonous Liquor was in {tilled af¬ 
terwards by a fhort white Probofcis thruil 
out of the Spider’s Mouth Having alfo 
never feen it myfelf at the Time I wrote my 
*£reatife on the Microfcope , I was then of the 
fame Opinion. But as loon as I made the 
above Difcovery, which was in April 1746,' 
I {hewed the Fangs I have been defcribing 
to Dr. Mead, who was much pleafed with a 
Sight of this Aperture, and with his ufual 
Candor gave it as his Opinion, that as amongft 
Serpents fome Kinds only are poifonous, and 
have Teeth that are perforated for the Emif- 
fion of their Poifon, viz. the Rattle Snake , 
the Viper, &c. whereas the Generality are 
harmlefs, and have no hollow Teeth : fo 
likewife fome Kinds only of Spiders are poi¬ 
fonous, or have any Perforation in their 
Fangs ; but fuch whofe Fangs are perfo¬ 
rated may be fuppofed uncommonly 
gerous. 
£ \ 
e See alfo Arc. Nntur. Tom. IV. Par. II. pag. 39. 
t Vid. Mechanical Account of Poifons, third Edit, page 88. 
o 
O 
It 
