The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-12 00:00:00

T 718 BRITISH ASOCIATION FOR TI.I:E
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

MANCHESTER, SEPT. 11.

ZOOLGY AND BOTANY.
TILE SPIDER.—ITS HABITS AND STRUCTURE.
Mr. Tuffen West read a paper " On some points
of interest in the structure and habits of spiders."

Be said his object was not to attempt to convey
new facts in reference to his subject, but to endea-
vour to have the character, habits, and economy of

the spider to be more generally known. He thought
he should succeed in showing that there was some
interest in the study of this little creature, despite

the erroneous popular ideas entertained respecting
them. How and why they became to be so univer-
sally disliked would be a suitable question to inquire
at another time. A large proportion of the spiders
were very brightly eoloured, especially those that
dwelt in little flowers, and others rivalled in splen-
dour the brilliant metals. On the sandy coasts of
Dorsetshire there was a species resembling in
colour the ground on which they moved, and could
with difficulty be distinguished from the ground on
which they rested. They appeared as if they were
painted the colour of the objects by which they
were surrounded. Some species had great variety
in colouring, the individuals being adapted to the
locality in which they resided. The fact was noticed
by Mr. Blackwell, and he himself had the pleasure
of observing it, that spiders had been known to
change the colour of the anterior eyes by an inter-
nal motion. Their colour was green, gold. and

yellow. The way in which they effected these
changes had not been fairly studied, whilst their

purpose for doing so could not even be guessed
at. Some spiders had eight eyes, a few had
six, and examples could rarely be found in
which they had only two. The first pair of
legs were longest, the second next in length,
and the unlucky third pair were the lowest
and shortest. The male spider was almost uni-
xersally mnch smaller than the females of some spe-
cies, was more slightly formed in the abdomen, and
the limbs much longer. The female was wayward
and capricious in courtship—(laughter)—was

vicious and not easily pleased. Others were living
in a social community, and no doubt should be

supposed to be living in harmony and love. As
we see them spend the honeymoon, or residing in
their comfortable furnished house, we must infer,
at any rate, that they wage to agree together. (Re-
newed laughter.) One species had been dignified
by a name peculiar to themselves, because of their
easy and comfortable appearance. Mr. West then
gave a description of the animal, and proceeded to
say that the spiders of the tropics had their eyes
placed in such a position in the head that they
could see all round without difficulty. The young
reside with their parent for some time after they
are hatched, and are supplied by the parent with
food. The forms and varieties of other species of
the spider, he continued, would constitute an inte-
resting subject for study. He referred to the for-
mation of the web, and said each spider on the
hind legs had a double set of combs, which it
worked up and down alternately, so as to form the
web, which produced a fabric well calculated to
entangle the legs of an insect and hold it firmly.
Onetspecies lived habitually under water, carrying
down with it its own diving bell, and constructing
a habitation below the water, in which it lived by
imprisoning air with lime, &c. Their ability to
sustain hunger for long periods of time was remark-
able, amounting in one case to fourteen months.
They had many enemies to contend with and keep
them in check ; their own tribe, quadrupeds, rep-
tiles, fishes, and even insects, who devoured them;
and let not man, then, rank in the list of their as-
sailants, to destroy creatures whose services were
important, who could not hurt us, and who, like
ourselves, were wonderfully and mysteriously
made. Of course they should not be allowed
to collect in their sitting apartment ; but they
should be permitted to remain where no injury
could arise from their presence. They should not
destroy those whose construction afforded a pro-
blem which would puzzle the ablest amongst them
to explain. (Hear, hear.) He said the observation
of the spider would form a test of the accuracy of
the theory originated by Mr. Charles Darwin in his
work on the " Origin of Species." Small spiders
were found abundantly in a coal pit which he named
near Durham. In that pit, which he had visited,
he had found a web 30 feet in length by four feet
six inches in breadth. He thought spiders had re-
collection of former times. The animal which, in
its natural state, was solitary and did not spin webs,
was found in the coalpit previously spoken of gre-
garious and spinning webs, thus adapting itself to
circumstances.

The Rev. Mr. HIGGINS mentioned an anecdote
where a gentleman of his father's acquaintance, and
for the accuracy of which he could vouch, found a
spider living in a pill-box which he was in the
habit of carrying about, and which he had put away
in an old coat nine years ago.
Mr. WEST, in reply to the Rev. Mr. Higgins, said

a good method of preserving spiders was to put them
into a glass tube with diluted spirits of wine. For
fixing the colour chloride of zinc should be used.

ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND CRIME.

Mr. HENRY ASHWORTH then read a paper on
capital punishalonts, and their influence on crime.
The Right Him. J. NAPIER, referring to Ireland,
said they had endeavoured for some years past to
reduce the punishment of death to the lowest pos-
sible degree. They had abolished it in cases of con-
spiring to commit murder, and where death did not
ensue. Out of 46 cases of capital conviction 22 had
been pardoned. He believed that wherever the public
conscience did not go with the punishment it was
beneficial and safe to relinquish it. During the last
session of Parliament there had been passed a code
of criminal law for the whole kingdom, by which
the punishment of death was confined to eases where
death actually occurred, and to cases of high trea-
son only. (Hear.) For his own part, he thought
that where life had been deliberately taken away
the murderer's life should be forfeited.

Mr. J. Heywood said his observations showed him
that juries would rather spare a guilty man occa-
sionally, if there was the slightest doubt in the
matter, than run the possibility of dooming an in-
nocent man. He had invariably given his vote, in
the house, in favour of the abolition of the punish-
ment of death. He inclined to imprisonment for life,
or some other serious penalty of the kind.
A further somewhat prolonged discussion followed
on the question, whether it was correct and proper
that the law should only execute those that had
committed the murder ' • it being stated, that at
Chester, an execution had taken place where death
did not ensue. It was explained that such would
be under the old law. A new law would come into
force on the Ist of November next.
NEW "EMS OF COTTON
Mr. W. Dawson read the followin *
g paper upon
Barraguda cotton :
“. I have known this vegetable substancea perhaps
a
more than 20 years, but only of late Barragudae
cotton. The first was an import from p
Cape Horn—a few small. ballots, 801 b. It' ma
each. No
use could be made of it—in paper, cloth, in woollen
or cotton goods. Few will look at a substance un-
less quantity is on the spot ; tik.) it was neglected.
Some 5 or 6 years back Mr. John Peter G. Smith
brought half a dozen bales from; Pernambuco or
River Plate, which no doubt came down that river
or the Amazon, from the east side of the Andes,
water conveyance being the cheapest. It has been
d,A;cribed as from a very large tree, an any quan-
tity could be obtained. The question is, if a paying
price could be realised, and that cannot be deter-
mined without the capital of some enthusiast can be
directed to bring quantity here. There can be no
doubt it has a profitable aril paying value, and uses
little imagined. When quantity is in the market for
sale it is worth the man cincture turning his
machi-
nery into its consumption, as a etizture alone in
Zttr, like mongo, old rags, and dell
ground
at onlltsliz with sheen wool. 's This shows the value
Sea r
prices are Island and Bowed Georgia-41a- ese
silky, 50i4:73% standards. The former is very
Any quantity rollf';i3all and the Barragnda cotton.
prices—below the :oath can. be obtained at paying
cotton is a question atti" or medium value of such
calculation. This, in 41u
-times of mathematical
corribiti, ""a of the land of

goods made, is a sure criterion, and should be an
inducement for the merchant capitalist to venture
his property. This cotton is the same species as
the common thistle fibre, full ripe. It is ingeni-
ously stated by native Irish that the Emerald Isle
grew cotton in ancient times. At harvest it flies
in the air for miles, in great plenty, and might be
collected with care and industry, and at the proper
season the fibre would be sound, and could be sold.
One bale of the above was disposed of a 3d. per
lb. ; but the Yorkshire buyer did not take delivery.
So the whole were taken for domestic use•—for sofa
cushions, and to mix in feather beds, which saved
purchasing swan's down at something under 12s.
6d. per lb. Here is a value and a use. The writer
having grown anni, turnip, and other seeds in the
county of Kerry, 6,000,000 acres, or very much
more, might be held at a nominal rent in Ireland,
where some good cotton might be grown on land
neither grazed, scratched, nor nibbled with sheep.
William Brown, Esq., M.P., in 1847, through Lord
Morpeth (now Earl of Carlisle), obtained for my
farm agent, Mr. Robert Bell, the situation of sur-
veyor of five counties in Ireland. He is now re-
surveying the whole of Ireland, so every informa-
tion can be obtained from the Board of Works,
through Sir Robert Peel, at the Castle of Dublin,
and sites selected for the growth of cotton and
model farms, to teach people its culture, that they
may go to foreign climes for the object."