J 20 



The insect above-mentioned is the largest of all 

 the spiders, measuring from eight to ten inchecj in 

 the extent of its legs, which are covered with 

 rough hair : it is not uncommon in many parts of 

 Souih America. It resides amongst thii trees, and 

 seizes on sm.ill birds, particularly Humming Birds, 

 which it destroys by sucking their blood, after 

 having first wounded them by its fangs. This Spider 

 has eight eyes, which are disposed somewhat in the 

 form of an oblong square ; two are perfectly round, 

 the others are of an oval shape. 



Tarantula Spider (Aranea Tarantula), with its cu- 

 rious Nest. 



This is the animal of which such long accounts 

 have been given of the wonderful and melancholy 

 effects arising from its bite, which is represented 

 to be cured only by music, which caused the 

 patient involuntarily to dance in the most violent 

 manner; but the whole account being clearly proved 

 to have existed in vulgar error, is not now worth 

 repeating. The nest is highly curious from its re- 

 markable structure ; it is cylindric, with a valve or 

 door, which the animal opens and shuts every time it 

 enters; the manner in which this is performed, as 

 well as the creature itself, is described by the elegant 

 pen of Darwin, in his Zoonomia. 



African Scorpion (Pcorpio Afcr). 



There are several species of Scorpions in this col- 

 lection, but none of them so remarkable, either for 

 size or malignity of poison, as the above, which is 

 near nine inches long, and armed in front by strong 

 claws, resembling those of some species of crab ; 

 but its poisonous sting is situated at the end of the 

 tail, in which may be observed the reservoir for sup- 

 plying it with the fatal fluid, and the minute holes 



