ON TRACHEAN ARACHNIDA. 515 



contented themselves by telling us an infinity of stories, one 

 more appalling than the other. According to them, the bitten 

 place swells very considerably, soon grows black, and is 

 speedily followed by mortification and death. This opinion 

 is equally established in Egypt and the south of Persia. M. 

 Pallas relates several facts, of which he declares himself to 

 have been a Vi'itness, which appear to prove that the poison 

 of this insect is mortal, if a timely remedy be not applied. 

 He considers oil and all unctuous substances as the fittest for 

 this purpose. We confess, that in spite of the assertion of the 

 Arabs, of the Egyptians, and of all the natives of those coun- 

 tries where the galeodes are found, — in spite of the assertion 

 of M. Pallas himself, — we doubt that these insects are as 

 venomous as is reported. Has not a similar reputation been 

 given in Persia to the scorpion, in Italy to the tarantula, in 

 almost all the east, and in the south of Europe, to the differ- 

 ent species of geckos which live in houses or in ancient 

 ruins } In Egypt and in Crete, are not the skinks equally 

 considered as venomous ? 



" We have found the galeodes very common in Persia, in the 

 desert of Mesopotamia, and in that of Arabia. Every even- 

 ing it used to run over us, over our effects, our table, and our 

 beds, with the utmost celerity, and without ever stopping. 

 Nobody was bitten ; and we have never been able to ascer- 

 tain a well-authorized fact which could prove that this insect 

 is as dangerous as they say. The bite of the galeodes must 

 doubtless be very painful, if we may judge from the powerful 

 forceps with which the mouth is armed ; but is it perfectly 

 certain that this bite is accompanied with an effusion of 

 poison, as in the vipers ? The inspection of the mouth of the 

 animal does not appear to prove this. This insect conceals 

 itself pretty generally during the day, and seldom comes 

 forth except at night. It would seem that it is attracted by 

 the light of a lamp or candle, for it was particularly in our 



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