36 S APTERA. 
spider that has been found in any coun- 
try ? 
Mother. The body of the aranea avi- 
cularia is said to be larger than a goose's 
e^^ ; it is covered with long black hair, 
and its bite is very venomous. It is a native 
of the forests of Brazil, where it spreads 
its nets from tree to tree, to catch not 
only insects, but even small birds ; and 
from this circumstance the specific name 
has been derived*. 
Lucy, How fortunate we are, mam- 
ma, in not having any of that terrible 
spider iu this country ! 
Mother, Another large species, the 
aranea fasciata^y chiefly found in Bar- 
bary, is almost the size of a man's thumb ; 
the meshes of its net, which it spreads 
over a bush, allow small insects to pass 
through, but they are strong enough to 
entangle the larger flies, wasps, and even 
locusts, which it speedily kills. Having 
* From Avis, a bi»d. 
t From Fascia, a band ; its abdomen befng 
marked by a yellow stripe. 
