The Black-Bellied Tarantula 27 



deserves attention. There is no duel to the 

 death in the narrow arena of the test-tube, 

 any more than in the wider Hsts afforded by 

 the bottle. Utterly timid once she is away 

 from home, the Spider obstinately refuses 

 the battle ; nor will the Bumble-bee, giddy 

 though she be, think of striking the first blow. 

 I abandon experiments in my study. 



We must go direct to the spot and force the 

 duel upon the Tarantula, who is full of pluck 

 in her own stronghold. Only, instead of the 

 Bumble-bee, who enters the burrow and con- 

 ceals her death from our eyes, it is necessary 

 to substitute another adversary, less inclined 

 to penetrate underground. There abounds in 

 the garden, at this moment, on the flowers of 

 the common clary, one of the largest and most 

 powerful Bees that haunt my district, the 

 Carpenter-bee (Xylocopa violacea), clad in black 

 velvet, with wings of purple gauze. Her size, 

 which is nearly an inch, exceeds that of the 

 Bumble-bee. Her sting is excruciating and 

 produces a swelling that long continues painful. 

 I have very exact memories on this subject, 

 memories that have cost me dear. Here indeed 



