ANIMAL KINGDOM. 131 



those of Europe ; excellent and very beautiful cray-fish are taken 

 in the Carani and other rivers in nets. Both the sea and land 

 crabs are occasionally hurtful, probably from feeding on 

 poisonous substances, more especially the fruits of the Man- 

 chineel tree. 



Arachnida. Spiders are numerous, and some of them of very 

 large size ; several kinds frequent the dwellings in towns and 

 villages, spreading their webs almost everywhere in houses, where 

 they are useful in destroying cock-roaches and other vermin. 

 Two species are venomous, and one particularly so, viz., the crab- 

 spider (Aranea avicularia) : it bites most severely swelling of 

 the part and fever for about twenty-four hours being the result. 



There are two species or varieties of scorpions, known as the 

 gray and the black : they are both venomous, yet very seldom 

 does death follow r their sting. A few cases, however, have been 

 known of infants having died from exhaustion occasioned by the 

 violent retching produced by the sting of scorpions ; and even 

 adults have been severely affected and weakened. The accidents 

 arising from the bite or sting of scorpions depend evidently upon 

 various causes, and particularly, it would seem, upon the part into 

 which the virus has been instilled, and its more or less complete 

 absorption ; it may also vary in effect according to the age, the 

 sex, or other circumstances connected with the animal itself. 



Myriapoda. The mainland, and particularly the islets at the 

 Bocas, have gained a notoriety for the immense size of their centi- 

 pedes, some of them being more than twelve inches long; the 

 centipedes bite severely, and are venomous, but never to the extent 

 of the scorpions, though the pain be locally more acute. The 

 congori (lulus) is perfectly innocuous to man, but injures fruits and 

 flowers. Ammonia, lime-juice, and the musk-ochro, are excel- 

 lent remedies for accidents arising from the virus of the above 

 insects, but the guaco is by far the best : the part must be well 

 rubbed with the extract or tincture, and some taken internally. 

 When the plant itself is within reach, let it be pounded or bruised 

 previous to its application to the part affected, the juice being 

 also taken internally at the same time. 



Insecta. The bete-roitge is very troublesome from the itching 

 it causes ; thousands of them sometimes collect on the heads of 

 horses and other animals. 



Ticks (Ricinus). These are very troublesome insects : there 



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