ae - NATURAL HISTORY. 
C.F A Boe 
OF INSECTS OF THE SPIDER KIND. 
ne molt common Spiders in thefe parts of the world, are thé 
- hovfe Spider, which weaves its web in neglected rooms. The 
garden Spider, that weaves a little round web, in the center of which 
io keeps in the day time: the black Spider, that inhabits the holes of 
‘old walls : the wandering, Spider, that has no abode, like the reft ; and 
the field Spider; befides many others that we fhall take notice of as we 
go along. All thefe Spiders have fomewhat in common among them- 
felves ; and they have alfo a charadteriftic which diftinguifhes them 
from each other. Every Spider confifts of two parts, the head and 
the breaft, which is feparated from the hinder part, or the belly, by 2 | 
flender firing: the fore part is covered with a hard fhell, as well as the 
fore paws or legs, that adhere to the breaft:. the hinder part is cloathed 
‘ with a fupple fkin, befet all over with hair; they have feveral eyes on 
diiterent parts of the head, generally eight in number, and fometimes 
* only fix, two’ before, twe behind, and the reft on the fides of the head: 
they have all eye-lids, and are covered with a hard polifhed cruf. As 
their eyes are immoveable, they are furnifhed with fuch a number of 
eyes, that they may fee what is doing all round about them. 
They have two’ prickles on the fore part of the head, or rather two 
branches» rough, with frong points, or dentated like two faws, and 
terminating in a claw, like that of a cat. A little below the poiat 
of the claw, there is a fmall hole, through which it feems to emit 2 
very aclive poifon: this is the moft dreadful weapon tliey have againit 
' their enemies, and they can cover, or ftretch them out, as they have 
eccafion. When they do not make ufe of thefe claws, they lay them 
down on the branshes like a fickle on its. handles they have all eight 
legs, articulated like thofe of Lobfters, and at the end there are three 
-ercoked moveabie claws, namely, a fmall one on the fide, placed like 
a cock’s pur, by the affiftance of which they adhere to.the threads of 
their webs ; and there are two others larger, the infide of whofe hook 
is dentated, and ferves to fix them on any thing they pleafe, or to walk 
up the fide of a wall, and even with their backs dowaward: the mot 
polifhed bodies, fuch as looking glafles and marble, have fuch inequa- 
lities,. that they can lay hold-of them with their claws. But they do 
not always make ufe of thefe, there being near the claws two tubercles» 
or a fort of {punges, on which they can walk in a fotter manner, re 
-ferving the former for other purpofes, wherein fharp claws are required. 
Spiders, befides the cight legs already mentioned, have two beforés 
which may be called arms, becaufe they are of no fervice in wal <ings 
but are ufed in holding and managing their prey: though they are thus 
axmed, they could nct go to war with fuccefs, if they were not as wel 
fornithed with toils to catch their game, efpecially as they have no wings 
to fly after it. For this reafon Spiders have the art of {pinning threadss 
with which they weave their webs, which are a fort of nets, {pread out 
_on purpofe to take their prey; and‘ they lay them in thofe places where 
the Flies are moft likely to pads and repafs almoit continually : re 
