160 THE SPIDER KIND. 



that, like a box, surrounds them on every side. This bubble has 

 the bright appearance, at the bottom, of quicksilver ; and within 

 this they perform their several functions of eating, spinning, and 

 sleeping, without its ever bursting, or in the least disturbing 

 their operations : sometimes the bubble is seen divided into 

 three distinct apartments ; and in the spring, the male enters 

 one of those to impregnate the female, in the manner mentioned 

 above, while the bubble in which he was contained unites with 

 the other, like two drops of water, when approached to each 

 other. They spin their webs as well in the water as upon land ; 

 and it is most probable that they make their food of the small 

 insects of either element. 



The Tarantula is also of this species, and deserves particular 

 notice, not for any remarkable properties that really attend it, 

 but for the numerous falsehoods which have been propagated 

 concerning it. What may be said with truth concerning it is, 

 that it is the largest of the spider kind known in Europe, and is 

 a native of Apulia in Italy. Its body is three quarters of an 

 inch long, and about as thick as one's little finger ; the colour 

 is generally an olive brown, variegated with one that is more 

 dusky ; it has eight legs and eight eyes, like the rest, and nip- 

 pers which are sharp and serrated ; between these and the fore- 

 legs there are two little horns or feelers, which it is observed to 

 move very briskly when it approaches its prey. It is covered 

 all over the body with a soft down ; and propagates as other 

 spiders, by laying eggs. In the summer months, particularly in 

 the dog-days, the tarantula, creeping among the corn, bites the 

 mowers and passengers ; but in winter it lurks in holes, and is 

 seldom seen. 



Thus far is true ; but now the fable begins : for though the 

 bite is attended with no dangerous symptoms, and will easily 

 cure of itself, wonderful stories are reported concerning its viru- 

 lence. The part which is bitten, as we are told, is soon after 

 discoloured with a livid black, or yellowish circle, attended with 

 an inflammation. At first the pain is scarcely felt ; but a few 

 hours after come on a violent sickness, difficulty of breathing, 

 fainting, and sometimes trembling. The person bit, after this, 

 does nothing but laugh, dance, skip about, putting himself into 

 the most extravagant postures, and sometimes also is seized with 

 a most frightful melancholy. At the return of the season in 

 which he was bit, his madness begins again ; and the patient 

 always talks of the same things. Sometimes he fancies him- 

 self a shepherd, sometimes a king, appearing entirely out of 

 his senses. These troublesome symptoms sometimes return for 

 several years successively, and at last terminate in death. But 

 so dreadful a disorder has, it seems, not been left without a 



