Fig. 122. NEST OF TRAP-DOOR SPIDER. 



THE TARANTULA. 



CHAPTEE LI. 



THE natives call any living creature which they particu- 

 larly object to a Tarantula. In fact, this word is 

 used here much as orthodox people apply the word 

 " heretic " ! What is a " heretic " ? Any one who 

 says anything the priest does not like : this is Luther's 

 definition. Similarly, a Tarantula is any animal of any 

 sort to which you happen to have an aversion. In 

 Nice the harmless Gecko is a " Tarantula " ; and 

 dearly he pays for being called by a bad name. As 

 soon as this lizard appears in any respectable house, 

 the tocsin is sounded, and the miserable little reptile 

 is done to death. But what is his offence ? None 

 that I can discover, unless it be that he is really able 

 to walk on the ceiling, a feat which few other 

 creatures can perform successfully. 



The real genuine Tarantula is not a Gecko, nor any 

 other lizard, but a spider. In order that you may 

 know all about this famous insect, which has prompted 

 so many musical compositions, I translate the following 

 detailed and most accurate description from an old 



