He has likewise seen them instructing their young ones how to hunt, and correcting
them for Non-observance : And when any of the old ones chanced to miss a Leap, they
would run away, as if ashamed, into their Crannies, and not come out again for four or
five Hours.
These Spiders are to be found with us on Garden-Walls, in the Spring, when the Wea-
ther is very hot, but they are not near so eager of hunting as they are in Italy.
All Spiders are Creatures of Prey, though they have different Ways of catching it ;
some by leaping, as the Sort just now described ; others by running on it as the Shepherd-
Spider ; but the greatest Number, by weaving Nets or Cob-webs, wherein they lie in
Ambush till Flies or other Insects are entangled, and then rush out and seize them.
Spiders that make Webs have five little Teats or Nipples near the Extremity of the
Tail, from whence a gummy Liquor issues, which adheres to any thing it is pressed a-
gainst, and being drawn out, hardens instantly in the Air, becoming a String or Thread
strong enough to bear five or six times the Weight of the Spider's Body, and yet of an
amazing Fineness.
They all lay Eggs, deposited in Bags, which they brood over, and guard with the ut-
most Solicitude, and run away with at any Approach of Danger
|
Menaires de P Acad, des S?ien. Mr. de Reaumur, 1710. |
. The Bags of some
are round white Balls carried under their Bellies ; those of others appear like a little lea-
thern Cap, fastned to a Leaf, or against a Wall : Others again have two Bags of a reddish
Colour suspended in some Cranny by a Couple of Threads, with dry Leaves properly disposed
to shelter them ; and there are still other Varieties.
When hatched, the little Spiders come out compleatly formed, and run about very
nimbly ; some Kinds being then exceeding hairy, and others persectly smooth. They shed
their Skins several times, and increase in Size, but never change their Shape at all.
An EXPLANATION of the TWENTY-NINTH PLATE
The Ant, Emmet, or Pismire
THE Ant here delineated was of a large Kind,
more than half the Bigness of an Ear-
wig, of a dark-brown or reddish Colour, and extremely nimble. A numerous Co-
lony of them was discovered under the Root of a Tree, whence they would frequently
sally out in large Parties, and after doing much Mischies amongst the Fruits and Flowers,
and foraging over the whole Garden, would very readily find their Way back to the Nest
again.
This Insect is naturally divided into the Head-Part, the Thorax or Breast, and the Belly
or Tail ; each of which joins to the other by a very slender Ligament.
A A, The Ant's large Head ; in which appear a Couple of globular and prominent
black Eyes, most curiously pearled, B B. Out of the Nose or Snout issue two pretty
Horns C C, each having twelve Joints.
Its Jaws are Saw-like or indented, with little Teeth that exactly tally, opening side-
ways, and capable of gaping very wide asunder, D D. By the Help of these it is fro-
quently seen grasping and transporting Bodies of three or four times its own Bulk and
Weight.
The Thorax seemed to consist of three rising Parts E F G, and from these Parts
three Legs, O O O, &c. shaped like the Legs of a Fly, come forth on either
side.
The Belly or Tail-Part, I I I, was larger than the other two, and joined to the Tho-
rax by a very small conical Vessel H, which seemed a distinct Part of the Animal, like a
kind of loose Shell interposed to keep the Thorax from the Belly.
Two Circles of a lighter Colour went round the Tail-Part, as thewn K K.
There are several Species of Ants, differing both in Size and Colour : This given by the
Doctor seems to be the large Wood-Ant. Towards the End of Summer many of them
are seen having four Wings. Those SWAMMERDAM says, are Males.
