The Black-Bellied Tarantula 13 



well on my return. On the 20th of August, I 

 again left for a nine days' absence, which my 

 prisoner bore without food and without detri- 

 ment to his health. On the ist of October, 

 I once more deserted the Tarantula, leaving 

 him without provisions. On the 21st, I was 

 fifty miles from Valencia and, as I intended 

 to remain there, I sent a servant to fetch him. 

 I was sorry to learn that he was not found in 

 the jar, and I never heard what became of him. 

 ' I will end my observations on the Tarantulae 

 with a short description of a curious fight 

 between those animals. One day, when I had 

 had a successful hunt after these Lycosse, I 

 picked out two full-grown and very powerful 

 males and brought them together in a wide 

 jar, in order to enjoy the sight of a combat 

 to the death. After walking round the arena 

 several times, to try and avoid each other, 

 they were not slow in placing themselves in a 

 warhke attitude, as though at a given signal. 

 I saw them, to my surprise, take their distances 

 and sit up solemnly on their hind-legs, so as 

 mutually to present the shield of their chests 

 to each other. After watching them face to 



