20 

 97.— NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



1.— "The Mygale," or Tarantula. 



An interesting occurrence took place in our herbarium on Octo- 

 ber 22nd, 1894. A large spider commonly known as " The Taran- 

 tula," a species of " Mygale," was placed in the rooms for the 

 purpose of destroying the numerous living specimens of the genus 

 Blatta Avhich unfortunately for us, so persistently make their home 

 among our cabinets and shelves. The animal took up its residence on 

 a shelf at the back of a volume of Brown's Natural History of 

 Jamaica and spun a small white web. On the morning of the day in 

 qiiestion it was observed hanging on the outside of the book cover, 

 its legs and body covering a fair sized mouse which was partially 

 covered with web. The head of the mouse was hanging downwards 

 and the tail was twisted in a strand of the web connecting with the 

 nest and pointing upwards. The spider Avas grasping the mouse at 

 the back of the neck just behind the ears. The mouse appeared to 

 have been but a short time dead when first discovered (7 a.m.) and 

 had probably been caught during the night hours. The spider 

 remained covering the dead mouse for the whole of the 22nd, and at 

 night had 'reduced the head into a shapeless mass. Next morning the 

 mouse was found on the floor, the head and shoulders mostly eaten 

 aAvay, but the intestines untouched. 



These spiders are usually regarded in Trinidad with the greatest 

 horror, but Avell authenticated records illustrating the dangerous 

 character of the animal are wanting. 



In the Gardens they are not alloAved to be destroyed, the 

 workmen being strictly charged to protect them whenever disco- 

 vered, and to prevent others from injuring them ; as it is practically 

 certain that they do a large amount of good in ridding us of numerous 

 destru.ctive pests. 



So far I have never seen anyone bitten by this animal, which in 

 general inclination appears very timid and runs at the appioach of 

 danger ; but it is possible, however, that if trodden upon or inadver- 

 tently squeezed it would then use its mandibles, and perhaps with 

 considerable effect. 



2. — A Forest Rat. — Oryzomys velutiuus, All. & Chap. 



This little Rat, caught in the Gardens by my son, proves to be one 

 of the new species recorded as being captured at Princestown by 

 Frank W. Chapman in 1893, and fully described in the Bulletin 



