242 ON THE POISON OF ANIMALS 
of many seconds, and at last quitted its hold volun- 
tarily, when a little blood issued from the wounds it 
had inflicted. Though the spider was in a state of 
great excitement from previous irritation, yet I did 
not experience more inconvenience from its bite than 
from a puncture made near it at the same time with 
a fine needle; indeed, allowing for a considerable 
degree of compression in the former case, the effects 
of both injuries appeared to be very similar. The 
thermometer, while the experiment was in progress, 
stood at 76°; the air throughout the day was sultry, 
and an extensive thunder-storm occurred in the 
evening. 
A highly exasperated female Eyetra diadema was 
allowed to seize me on the inner side of the left fore- 
arm, near the carpus, on the 30th of July, 1846. It 
continued for more than a minute to bury its fangs 
deeper in the flesh, and on quitting its hold volun- 
tarily a little blood flowed from the wounded part, 
near which a puncture was made simultaneously with 
a fine needle. The air was sultry, the temperature at 
the time being 75°, and distant thunder was heard. 
No difference was perceptible between the results of 
this and the preceding experiment. 
At 11" 30™ a.m. on the 22nd of August, 1846, the 
thermometer at the time indicating a temperature of 
65°, a powerful and much-irritated female Zpetra 
guadrata bit me on the inner side of the left fore- 
arm, near the carpus. It retained its hold for the 
