The history of four-footed beasts and serpents describing at large their true and lively figure, their several names, conditions, kinds, virtues ... countries of their breed, their love and hatred to mankind, and the wonderful work by Edward Topsell ; whereunto is now added, The theater of insects, or, Lesser living creatures ... by T. Muffet ...

CHAP. XIV.

Of certain kindes of Spiders observed by Authors.

YOu may remember that I so divided Spiders, that some were venemous, and called Pha∣langia, and others were harmlesse: Few of the Phalangia (and perhaps none) use to spin, but all the rest spend their time in making threds or Nets. Some of these Net-work∣workers

[illustration]

are House Spiders, others are field Spiders, so also are those that make threds distinguished.

Amongst the Net-workers I saw one the greatest of all, I have set down the picture of it here. In Autumn amongst small Rose-boughs it extendeth an artificiall Net, and it catcheth either another Spider running over it, or Gnats or Flies that come to it, when she pulls her cord with wonderfull dexterity, and when she hath hanged them thus up, she leaves them till she growes hungry a∣gain. She hath a frothy body, Ovall figured almost, i•• hath a little head with pinsers under the belly, and the back is adorned with white spots: This is one of the Autum∣nal Holci, and in a very short time it will grow from the big∣nesse of a Pease to be as big as you see her here descri∣bed. Amongst the Web-makers, we have seen some spin a very fine Web, others spin one that was but mo∣derately fine, some spin base stuffe, grosse, rude, and ill favoured: The most subtile work-masters are the House-bred-Spiders, whereof we have here set down one of a brown colour, of the bignesse of the figure, and being placed between you and the Sun, it is of some transpa∣rency. This is it whose commendation was written by Coe∣lius Secundus Curio, and the nature of it by Pliny, which taught Heba, Penelope, the Egyptians, Lydians, Macedonians, and others that were given to spinning. This field Spider weaves a moderate and strong Web in hedges, stretch∣ing forth his sheet with a Coverlaid, and where he dwells he waits for his prey. His Web is thicker that it may not rain through, and better to endure the force of windes, she hath a brown body, but feet that are changea∣ble colours, varyed with black and white spots in order, she hath a forked mouth, fenced with clawes, the two white spots that are seen above in the head I know not whether they serve for eyes, the whole body is gently hairy; she doth stretch out her Web wide and long, that she may catch much prey, to which she is very much addicted. This field Spider spins a base and un∣polished thred, and gathers it as it were into a bundle. Pennius first observed this kinde in Colchester fields between wilde Origanum watch∣ing for Flies, and he never saw it otherwise. It hath feet like to those described just before, a

[illustration]

round body like a Globe, the back is marked with white spots, also it hath a fundament four ••quare, and black. Hitherto also we referre three kindes of the Spiders called Lupi, who live in chinks of Walls, heaps of stones, and old rub∣bish: they weave a base and small Web in their holes, and in the day time they wander farther abroad in hopes of prey, which they set upon with great force, and draw into their dens. The greatest of them is of a brown colour, it hath a head almost of Ovall figure, the body as a Globe, both sides are adorned with two small and short white lines, about the middle of the back it is of a more whitish colour, it hath feet comely with divers black and brown spots: The middlemost is the least, and grey-coloured; the ridge of the back is set forth by three Pearles as it were, whereof that which is next to the neck is greater and longer. The third seems to be blacker, wearing a Crosse overthwart the back very white, and with ••ight angles, and therefore some call it the holy Spider. I con∣jecture that these are of the Wolf kinde, because they run with a kinde of leaping, and discover a great ravening appetite, for they lay up nought for the morrow, but consume all their provision in one day. Gesner saw one of this kinde that was Ash-coloured. There are also Spiders with long shanks, that make disor∣derly and most rude work. The field Spider with a body almost round and brown, that lives about grasse and Sheep, the English call it Shepheard, ei∣ther because it is pleased with the company of Sheep, or because Shepherds think those fields that are full of them to be good wholsome Sheep-pasture, and no venome to be it, (for this Shepherd taken in∣wardly, or outwardly applyed, is a harmlesse Crea∣ture.) There are yet more kindes of Spiders, for there is a kinde of black Spider, with short feet, that hath a white Egge under the belly, white as snow, and running swiftly; when the Egge breaks, many young Spiders run forth, which go all with their Dam to feed, and at night they rest upon the Dams back. Pennius supposed that this was rough with warts, untill he touch∣ed it with a straw, and saw the young Spiders to run down. Also in rotten hollow trees there are very black Spiders, with great bodies, very short feet, that dwell with Cheeslips, and Catterpillers called Juli. Also saith Gesner, we have seen them all white, with a com∣pacted and broad little body, upon the flower of Mountain Parsley, Roses, and grasse, they have most long slender legs, the mouth is noted with a spot, and both sides with a red line; he thought it was venemous, because he saw a Munkey almost dead that had eaten one, and

[illustration]

could hardly be recovered by powring Oyl down his throat. We know also Spiders with a long body, and a sharp tail, they are red from black, as also green. Also there are red ones of two kindes, one great one that dwells only in the Caves of the earth, with a body Cinnaber colour, with feet yellow from red, the tail and belly tend toward yellow a little from brown. There is another sort very small, lesse then a Sheeps Tike, as red as Scarlet, it hath but six feet, being a monster amongst Spiders; it hath a head like as Spiders have, but it is very small: It lives in the earth, and weaves a very course Web, and not well wrought; sometimes she wandreth abroad, and shews great agility to catch her prey. We grant willing∣ly that there are more kindes of Spiders, and of more colours, for our land brings not all things forth, nor yet did Actorides, though he was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, see all things. It may be fu∣ture times may delineate the rest better. In the mean time we have spoken of Spiders if not to delight, yet according as we thought fit, and we would do no more, because in writing so much of them we have ta∣ken great pains: Yet this we shall observe, that all Net-workers, and Web-workers amongst Spiders, do grow to have greater skill by age, and that shut up in Wooll, they increase the generation of Moths, and they yearly oft times cast off their old skin, and the greater and lustier they are, the more ingenious are they found to be in their gifts of life.