( 5o ) 
both for the spinning of silk, and for the weaving of the same 
into the most wonderful fabrics; sometimes as cocoons for its 
eggs and young, sometimes as a lining for its nests, sometimes as 
a network for the capture of prey. 
The spider is classed with the articulates, between insects proper 
and the crustaceans. The body is divided by a single articulation 
into chest and abdomen, the head being continuous with the chest. 
There are four pairs of legs, and if one is lost by accident it is 
reproduced at the time of moulting. There are spines and hairs 
covering the legs, and the feet have a most delicate sense of touch 
in handling the web. There are usually eight eyes, sometimes 
six, differently arranged in different species. Some of the web 
builders seem not to see, simply distinguishing between darkness 
and light, while the hunting and field spiders have a very sharp 
sight, and will look a man straight in the eye. From the root 
of the jaws extend the falces, or sickle-shaped forceps, powerfully 
made for holding prey, and with the joints or hooks turned in¬ 
ward. At the base of these in some species is a poison sac, and 
a slit in the outer covering near the end of the fang lets out a drop 
of liquid poison. There is a great difference in different species 
in respect to venom. The field and hunting spiders, which de¬ 
pend on their jaws for taking and holding their prey, are usually 
poisonous while the web builders are not. But the poison even 
of the large field spiders in our latitude ordinarily has little effect 
upon human flesh, though deadly to insects. The spider has 
colorless blood, a heart, arteries, and vessels returning blood from 
the respiratory organs, these latter consisting of pulmonary sacs 
and lines of trachea extending to all parts of the body and limbs. 
Digestion goes on as in larger animals. The spider is always 
carnivorous, devouring living prey, sucking the juices, and gen¬ 
erally rejecting the fragments. 
The family life of the spider is peculiar. There can be no 
discussion about woman’s rights—might makes right—for the 
female is much the larger, handsomer, and more active. In almost 
all treatises on the spider, every interesting description is about 
her , and not about him. She spins the web, provides the food, 
and is sreneral manager and man of the house. The male lias 
very little to say for himself, is kept on short allowance, and may 
