66 Observations upon the Tarantula. 



most striking of its specific marks. The abdomen is occu- 

 pied by a large black spot, of a rounded oval shape, of a 

 deep velvet-like black, bordered upon the sides by an 

 ochreous tint, sometimes vivid, but never inclining to yellow. 

 The region of the anus, that is to say, that which surrounds 

 for a considerable space the brown disk from which the 

 threads proceed, is also of an intense ochreous colour. 



The legs, which are strong and stout, are on the upper 

 side of a uniform blackish or yellowish grey ; but below 

 there are, always upon the second joint of the tibia, two black 

 spots, more decidedly marked, from the clearness of the 

 ground of yellowish grey which surrounds them. One of 

 these spots occupies the base, and the other the extremity, of 

 the joint just mentioned. The first encroaches upon the first 

 joint of the tibia, or the knee-pan. The two joints which form 

 the trochanter, as well as a great spot at the base of the 

 thigh, and a small one at the extremity, are also black. The 

 second joint of the tibia, and the first of the tarsi, are 

 armed with rather long small spines, rigid, and movable 

 upon their bases, which are of great use to the tarantula in 

 seizing and retaining its prey. The knee-pan and the last 

 joint of the tarsus are without these spines ; but we find 

 some upon the thighs. The tarsi of the two pair of anterior 

 legs are supplied on the under side with a thick bed of hair, 

 disposed like a brush, which is not observed upon any of the 

 others. This brush is of use to the tarantula chiefly in per- 

 forming its toilet, and to fasten itself when climbing up smooth 

 surfaces. The two claws which terminate the tarsi are tole- 

 rably stout, black, pectinated; that is to say, furnished within 

 so as to spring from their bending, with a single row of five 

 teeth, distinctly separated when viewed with a microscope. 



Let us see whether the spider which I have just described 

 is the true tarantula, or, in other words, and without entangling 

 ourselves in the labyrinth of an antiquated erudition, let us 

 enquire if it be the Aranea Tarantula of Linnaeus, for the 

 nomenclature of natural history goes back no further. Here 

 are the exact words of the Swedish Pliny: — "Aranea subtus 

 atra, pedibus subtus atro fasciatis." This description applies 

 exactly to our Lycosa : the marks spoken of are the first 

 which strike our eyes, especially when we are not able to 

 observe this spider in a living state, and can consult only 

 dead specimens, more or less deformed, or figures roughly 

 executed. Now, Linnaeus must have found himself precisely 

 in this latter case, when he collected the materials of his im- 

 mense and monumental work, the Systema Natures. There 

 was no occasion for the colour of a lighter or darker grey, as 



