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sionally avenge themselves for the evils they endure from their 

 formidable adversary, and fall upon him in such numbers, 

 that he is unable to defend himself, and is finally devoured. 



M. Moreau de Jonnes, who, during a residence of many 

 years in Martinique, had especially devoted himself to the 

 study of the natural productions of that island, communicated 

 to M. Latreille a digest of the observations which he had 

 made on the subject of a species of mygale very common in 

 that country. We shall present our readers with the short, 

 but interesting statement of facts which he has adduced. 



" The mygale avicularia bears in the Antilles the name of 

 crah-spider. It also preserves that of Matoutou, given to it 

 originally by the Caribs. This species is the largest of two 

 hundred which are known to naturalists. Its length is an 

 inch and a half, and when its feet are extended, it covers a 

 surface of six or seven inches. It avoids inhabited places, 

 and I have never found it in the towns, where the hunting- 

 spider of Linnaeus, and six other species of the same genus 

 are, on the contrary, extremely multiplied, 



" As M. Latreille had recognized by the mere inspection 

 of the organization of the animal, it spins no web, to serve it 

 as a dwelling. It burrows, and lies in ambush in the clefts 

 of hollow ravines, in volcanic tufas, or in decomposed lava. 

 It often hunts to a considerable distance, and conceals itself 

 under leaves to surprise its prey, or it climbs on the branches 

 of trees to devour the young of the colibris and the certhia 

 fiaveola. It usually takes advantage of the night to attack 

 its enemies, and it is commonly on its return towards its 

 burrow that one may meet it in the morning, and catch it 

 when the dew, with which the plants are charged, slackens 

 its walk. 



" The muscular force of the mygale is very great, and it is 

 particularly difficult to make it let go the objects which it has 

 seized, even when their surface affords no purchase, either to 



