NATURAL HISTORY. 133 
égg-fhell, whofe outer covering has the appearance of fine leather ; but 
within there is a down as foft as filk, in which they lay their eggs's 
this bag is placed underneath their bellies, and they always carry them 
along with them: there is another fort like pine-apples, but not quite 
fo big, and part of the hair on the top of the body is green: the inhabi- 
tants are very much afraid of this infea, and affirm, that it is more dan- 
gerous than a Viper. When they are irritated and put into a paflion, 
they throw out a venom, which would render a man blind, if it fhould 
fall on his eyes; and even the hair of this infe& is venomous, and if it 
is touched while alive, it itings like netthes. If it be taken up and 
prefled never fo little, it ftings with a weapon not fo big as that of a 
Bea but fo venomous, that recourfe mufi be had to the fame remedies 
that cure the bites of ferpents. 
Bofman in his aceount of Gainey, tells us, that he met with a Spider 
‘of a monftrous fize, with a long body and a fharp head, and broader 
in the fore part than behind, but not fo round as moft Spiders are. Ic 
had ten legs that were hairy, and as thick as a man’s little finger. 
This Spider is called Ananfe by the Negroes, who foolifhly believe that 
the firft man was made by this infea. 
The Bermudas Spider, is of a very large kind, whofe body confifs of 
two parts, the one flat, and the other round, and they are fo large 
when their legs are extended, as to cover a man’s hand: they are 
beautifully variegated with divers colours, and they have an orifice on. 
their backs, like thofe in the W¢/-Indian Spiders already taken notice of: 
their mouths are covered with a fort of grey hair, intermixed -with 
bright red, and they haye a crooked tooth on each fide, of a fine polith- 
ed fubftance, extremely hard, and of a fine bright fhining black colour } 
infomuch that they are often fet in gold and filver to ferve for tooth- 
picks. When thefe infects grow old, they are covered all over with a 
__ kind of brownith black down, which is very foft and fmooth, and fhines 
like velvet: the round part is much of the fhape of a large pigeon’s 
egg, and under that, which is flat, their legs grow, five on each fide, 
with four joints and claws at the end: they caft their downy floughs 
every year, as well as the two fine teeth above-mentioned: they live 
upon Gnats and Flies, and fpread their webs from tree to tree, which. 
are very large and ftrong. In the Philofophical Tranfa@tions it is faid, 
that thefe Spiders will {pin their webs between trees that are fixteen: 
yards diftant from each other, which they do by fpirting their web in- 
to the air, and the wind carries it from tree to tree: this web when 
finifhed, will catch a bird as big as a Thruth, if this account is to be_ 
- believed; but we are of opinion, that moft readers will think it to be 
altogether improbable. 
_ There are many forts of Spiders in the Eaf?-Indies, of avery different 
bigneis, fome of which are four inches long, and have very thick legs. 
Others have eight feet, a thick fpeckled body, and a round head, with 
brown legs: thefe have two teeth like hooks, wherewith’ they bite very 
Rrongly : they make tooth-picks with thefe teeth, in the fame manner 
as Bermuaas. ; 
At the Cape of Good Hope likewife, they have feveral forts of 
Spiders, which differ in bignefs, thape, and colour, as well as in 
the manner of making their webs. Some of thefe are venomous, and. 
others not, and fome delight to be in houfes, while others keep always 
. ¥ 4 mn 
