CHAP. I. MEMORY IN ANIMALS. 35 



amusement; as I generally sent them up my ladder 

 upon some frivolous message, when I wished to punish 

 them for injustice and cruelty to the negroes,, which 

 was not seldom. The same negro assured me that on 

 his master's estate was an ancient tree, in which had 

 been lodged, ever since he could remember, a society of 

 birds, and another of bees, who lived in the greatest 

 harmony together. But should any strange birds come 

 to disturb or feed upon the bees, they were instantly 

 repulsed by their feathered allies ; and if strange bees 

 dared to venture near the birds' nests, the native swarm 

 attacked the invaders, and stung them to death. He 

 added, that his master's family had so much respect for 

 the above association, that the tree was considered as 

 sacred." * 



(41.) Spiders evince an admirable instinct in the 

 arrangement of their webs, and in the entrapping of 

 their prey. One species particularly, termed by Latreille 

 Mygale camentaria, closes the entrance of its retreat 

 with a door formed of particles of earth cemented by 

 silken fibres, and closely resembling the surrounding 

 ground. This door, or rather valve, is united by a 

 silken hinge to the entrance, at its upper side, and is so 

 balanced, that, when pushed up, it shuts again by its own 

 weight. In the forests of Brazil, we once met with a 

 most interesting little spider which sheltered itself in 

 the same manner. Its case was suspended in the middle 

 of its web. Upon being disturbed, the little, creature 

 ran to it with swiftness. No sooner "had it gained its 

 retreat, than the door closed, as if by a spring, and left 

 us in silent admiration too great to lead us to capture 

 the ingenious little creature for our collection. 



(42.) Memory, as well as instinct, appears to be 

 given to animals, as necessary for their wellbeing. 

 Instances of this may be witnessed almost daily by 

 every one among domesticated animals, besides the 

 various and well-attested evidences of the same afforded 

 by those which have had no intercourse with man. An 



* Voyage to Surinam, vol. ii. p. 246. 

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