WEB-SPIDERS. 
2 33 
The legs are strong, not very unequal in length, and armed with three claws; the 
carapace is high, with the head compressed, and bearing on each side two pairs of 
large eyes belonging to the hinder row, and in front the four smaller eyes of the 
first row in a straight or 
curved line. The typical 
members of the tribe belong 
to the family Lycosiclce^ or 
wolf - spiders, of which a 
number of small forms are 
found in England, and the 
north and central parts of 
Europe. In summer these 
may be seen darting swiftly 
about amongst stones and 
grass,the female often carry¬ 
ing her cocoon attached to 
her spinning mammillae. 
This cocoon is a spherical 
or more or less compressed 
sac, consisting of an upper 
and lower plate, fastened at SOUTH AFRICAN side-walking spider, Palystes (nat. size). 
the edges. The mother * 
defends her packet of eggs with the utmost courage, and searches for it with 
diligence if lost. Soon after hatching, the young emerge from the cocoon, and 
climbing on to their mother’s back cling there by means of silk threads, until 
strong enough to shift for them¬ 
selves. The smaller species 
take refuge under stones or in 
crevices, and form no retreat; 
but many of the larger, 
especially those commonly 
known as Tarantula in South 
Europe, dig a burrow in the 
earth, lining it with silk, and 
in some cases building round 
the aperture a low circular wall 
of twigs or grass. To dig the 
burrow, the spider first loosens 
the earth with its mandibles, 
then gathering the pieces into 
a heap and sticking them 
together by means of silk and 
Italian tarantula spider, Lycosa tarantula (nat. size). slimy matter secreted from the 
mouth, with a rapid flick jerks 
the pellet to some distance from the scene of its operations. At the entrance of 
the burrow the spider lurks on the look-out for passing insects, and during the 
