THE TA RAN TULA-SPIDER. 



497 



silvery silk, satin-like in appearance. At the lower end is a small hole left to let ont the 

 water or any moisture that may accumulate. In the West Indian species the door is con- 

 structed entirely of silken threads. In the present species the door is a flat disc fitting as 

 tightly within the tube, at its entrance, as a stopper to a bottle. This is made of mud, and 

 lined compactly with the sdken satin threads. At one point it is hinged and so hung, that, 

 while the creature may i>ass out by pressing against it, it closes of its own weight when left. 

 Nests are observed to be placed on sloping ground, thus rendering it natural for the doors to 

 close readily. 



Of all the many surprising natural objects, of all instances of marvellous beauty of adap- 

 tation exercised by the lower forms, this seems especially notable. 



Some specimens of Trap-door Spiders and their nests are in the Museum, sent from Men- 

 tone, France. They are in blocks of earth removed for the purpose. When these little blocks 

 of earth teemed with the grasses that once grew upon them, the Spiders were pretty safe from 

 intrusion, so far as seeing their nests would lead to it. Now, when nearly all trace of green is 

 vanished, the nests are nearly invisible. There are circular lines, each indicating the periphery 

 of a nest ; and these appear as if a metallic punch had been used to punch a sharp outline 

 in the earth. This outline is seemingly perfectly circular. Some nests are supplied with a 

 second, or an offshoot, which is underground. A tightly fitting valve is introduced at the 

 entrance of this. The external hinged door is precisely like a valve. It is fitted exactly to a 

 depressed shoulder, and, in this respect, is like a wide-mouthed glass jar used by druggists. 



The Lycosidse, or Wolf-spiders, are all ground-livers, and take their prey in fair chase 

 instead of catching it in nets. They are mostly found among herbage, low bushes, fallen 

 leaves, and similar localities ; and if they should happen to feel alarmed, they run for safety 

 under stones, mosses, rocks, and into any accidental crevice in the earth. The family includes 

 an immense number of species, which are found in almost every part of the world. They are 

 fierce and determined hunters, chasing their prey wherever it may seek shelter. Some of them 

 are semi-aquatic in their habits, and are 

 not only able to run fearlessly upon the 

 surface of water, but can descend along the 

 aquatic plants until they are deeply im- 

 mersed, breathing by means of the air 

 which is entangled among the hairy cloth- 

 ing of their bodies. 



The accompanying engraving repre- 

 sents the celebrated Tarantula-spider, so 

 called from the town of Tarentum, in Italy, 

 where this Arachnid is very plentiful. 



There was a deeply-rooted belief among 

 the inhabitants of that town and its neigh- 

 borhood, that if any one were bitten by the 

 Tarantula he would be instantly afflicted 

 with a singular disease called tarantismus, 

 which exhibited itself in one of two ex- 

 tremes, the one being a profound and silent 

 melancholy, and the other a continual con- 

 vulsive movement of the whole body. It was also thought that this disease could only be 

 cured by music, and that a certain tune was needful in each particular case. 



The disease undoubtedly existed, and might, not improbably, be cured by music ; but its 

 source was entirely unconnected with the Tarantula. It ran through towns and villages like 

 wildfire, drawing into its vortex hundreds of persons of both sexes who came within the 

 sphere of its influence. The patients would leap, and dance, and wave their arms, and shriek, 

 and sing, as if the ancient Dionysia were being re-enacted in Christian times ; and, indeed, 

 it is by no means unlikely, that the frenzied gesticulations of the ancient bacchanals were 

 You nx— a. 



TARANTULA SPIDER.— Tarantula apuliie. (Natural afce. 1 



