Lesson 47 The Spider

I've found one, Fred, said Willie, running in almost breathless from the garden, "such a monster. He has made a web in the bower by the apple-tree. Bring Norah, and we'll see what we can find to talk about."

A few minutes later they were all seated in the bower, watching a great garden-spider.

Now, Norah, said Fred, "I daresay you think, as I did till today, that the spider is an insect. But, thanks to teacher, I shall be able to show you that he is not an insect. He is quite distinct from the insects in nearly every way. I wonder what you could tell me about the spider and his habits, from all you have seen of him."

I have often watched the spider, lying in wait to entrap the flies and other insects in his terrible net, said Norah. "I should call him a sly, crafty creature. From the fierce, savage way he attacks them, too, he must be cruel and bloodthirsty."

You have watched him well, Norah. He is a fierce, hungry hunter, said Fred. "He preys upon insects, and is as much a terror to them as certain beasts, birds, reptiles, and fishes are to other animals. Unlike them, however, he weaves a trap or snare in which to capture his prey."

Now let us look and see what he himself is like. His body is in two parts—not three, like the body of an insect. The upper part consists of the head and chest together; the lower part is the belly. The whole of the body, too, is covered with a close-fitting, soft, smooth coat—not with overlapping segments, like those of the insects.

The eyes, again, are quite different from the insects' eyes. Some spiders have two eyes; some have as many as six or eight pairs of eyes. But the eye is always single, and not made up of a cluster of small eyes like the eyes of the insects. They are so set in the head as to enable him to see on all sides at once. They are protected with a hard, transparent, horny covering, and so there is no need of eyelids.

On the front of the head are the feelers, which end in a pair of terrible claws. These are his weapons of attack. Teacher says each feeler is in two parts, which can be folded together. The claw, besides being a sharp, tearing weapon, is really a hollow tube, through which the spider darts a poisonous fluid into the wounds of his victim.

The horrid little monster, said Norah. "He is even more savage than I thought he was."

The head is simply the front part of the chest, continued Fred. "The hinder part bears the legs but no wings. Spiders never have wings."

The legs are always eight in number—four pairs. Insects, you know, have six legs. The legs are of great length, and each one consists of seven jointed parts. The spider, having no wings, has to rely on these long nimble legs in pursuing his prey.

SUMMARY

The spider is not an insect. Its body is in two parts, and is not covered with overlapping segments. It has eight legs, and no wings. The eyes are single, and not in clusters. They are very prominent. On the front of the head are a pair of terrible claws. The spider is a fierce, cruel, and sly hunter.