[311]. Ibid. vol. i. p. 363.
AMERICA turns out diverse kinds of these araneous Insects: In Peru are Spiders as large as a Man’s Hand, and have Eyes as big as those of Sparrows. In Brasil there is one kind of Spider, whose Skin is rough and black, and whose Sting proves incurable, without immediate Relief. On the other hand, we read of monstrous Spiders in the Antilles, whose Eyes are so small and deep in the Head, that they are scarcely visible: They feed on flying Insects, and their Webs are strong enough to catch small Birds[[312]].
[312]. Atl. Geog. Amer. p. 179, 265, 519.
CEYLON in the East-Indies produces a long, glittering, and hairy Spider, called Democulo, whose Wound is not mortal, but sometimes deprives People of their Senses. There is an Experiment made by Mr. Leeuwenhoek, who put a Frog and Spider together into a Glass, and having made the Spider sting the Frog diverse times, the Frog died in about an hour’s time[[313]].
[313]. Scaliger Exercit. in Boyle’s Subtil. Efflu. Philos. Transactions. Where there is a curious Account how Spiders lay and guard their Eggs. Derham.
There is another Instance of the Poison of some of them (for all are not poisonous) given by the Learned Scaliger, who relates, that in Gascony in France, there are Spiders of that Virulency, that if a Man treads upon them to crush them, their Poison will pass thro’ the very Soles of his Shoe[[314]].
[314]. Scaliger Exercit. in Boyle’s Subtil. Efflu. Philos. Transactions. Where there is a curious Account how Spiders lay and guard their Eggs. Derham.
V. The Scolopendra is a little venemous Worm, and amphibious. When it wounds any, there follows a Blueness about the affected Part, and an Itch over all the Body, like that caused by Nettles. Its Weapons of Mischief are much the same with those of the Spider, only larger; its Bite is very tormenting, and produces not only pruriginous Pain in the Flesh, but very often Distraction of Mind. These little Creatures make but a mean Figure in the Rank of Animals, yet have been terrible in their Exploits, particularly in driving People out of their Country: Thus the Inhabitants of Rhytium, a City of Crete, were constrained to leave their Quarters for them[[315]]. There is a minute Scolopendra, accounted for by Dr. Molyneux.
[315]. Ælian, lib. xv. cap. 26.
VI. The Shrew-Serpent in Norway, is a Creature of admirable Beauty; small in Body, and slow in Motion, but of fiery Venom, and its Wounds most dangerous.