A R A N E A M A C U L A T A .
S P O T T E D S P I D E R .
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G E N E R IC C H A R A C T E R .
Eyes eight. Mouth armed with two hooks or crotchets. Palpi two, conliii of feveral joints, headed by
the genitalia of the males in that fex. Anus contains teats for fpinning.
S P E C I F I C C H A R A C T E R .
Thorax covered with a faltln like pile, of a filvery colour. Abdomen cylmdrical. Legs long and black.
Oculis. . . T : . .
A r a k e a MA CU L.tTA : th o r a c e h o lo f e r ic e o a r g e n te o , a b d o m in e c y lin d r ic o , p e d ib u s lo n g il h m is a t n s .
Fah. Ent. Syß. t. 2. f . 425. f f . Ö6.
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This remarkable creature is peculiar to fome parts of the Chinefe empire. It is not the largeft o f the
genus, known; yet it is of fufficient magnitude to excite terror and difguit. To an European, who has
feen only the indigenous fpiders o f his own country, a fpecies five or fix inches in length, and nearly the
fame in breadth, muft appear a frightful creature; Aranea Maculata fometimes exceeds that fize; but it
has not the forbidding a f je d o f moft infea s o f the fame genus. The legs are unufually long, and the
body Hender. In its general appearance, it refembles fome kinds o f the Phalarigiee that are known m England
by the vulgar name Hurvcji men, being generally feen about that time of the year.
I t has been obferved, that nature oftentimes adorns the moft deformed and loathfome of her creatures
in the richeft difplay of colours; and this is efpecially noticed in many forts of fnakes, toads, lizards, &c.
Spiders feem alfo o f this defcription: to a form the moft hideous we frequently find united a brilliance of
colours, and elegance of m arking, that is fcarcely excelled by any of the butterfly tribe,—the moft beautiful
o f all lepidopterous infeas. Our prelent fubjca is a ftriking proof of the latter part of this obfervation.
The three figmes iu our plate o f Aranea Maculata exhibit a front and a profile view of the in fe a , together
with the front of the head at the third figure. The head is furnifticd with two very ftrong black mandibles,
each terminated In an extremely acute point. The fore part o f the thorax, which is wholly o f a fine
lilky appearance, and the colour of filver, bending over the mandibles in the tonn of an arch, or circular
hcacl-piece, give it the refemblance o f a black head with a crown o f filver on the brow. This appearance
is heightened in no fmall degree by three rugged prominence.?, one in the centre, and another on each fide,
on the upper part; and by the minute black eyes, which, like thofe o f moft fpiders, fparkle with the luftre