152 A NATURAL HISTORY 



and yet in that nioft- agreeable. Region, this little Tyrant reigns 

 and fpreads Terror. 



It's found in other Parts of Italy, and even in the Ifle of Cor- 

 fica ; but ihai^c oi Apulia, 'tis laid, are only dangerous ; though I . 

 think to have read fo'mething like it in Perfia, where there is an 

 Infe<ft like a Spider, about two Inches round, which the Holjlein 

 Ambafladors fuppofe to be the Latin Stellio, and the ltalia?i Ta- 

 rantula : It lets its Poifon fall like a Drop of Water, which caufes 

 an inlupportable Pain in that Part .... immediately caufes a pro- 

 found Sleep, from which the Patient is not to be recovered, but 

 by crudiing one of the fame Creatures upon the Wound ; or, if 

 this can't be had, by pouring as much Milk down his Throat as 

 they can, and then put him on an Engine, which they turn 

 round with great Violence, till by that violent Agitation, his Sto- 

 mach difcharges the Milk, which appears greenifh, becaufe of 

 the Poifon. Thofe who are cured thus, have fome Remnant of 

 the Pain once a Year, about the fame Seafon *. 



B u T to return to Italy ; 'tis obfervable, that it hurts no where 

 but in Apulia, and that only in Summer, efpecially in the Cani- 

 cular-Days, fo called from Canicnla, that fignifies a Dog ; hence 

 Dog-Star^ which rifes cofmically with the Sun the 19th oi July, 

 and is fuppofed to be the brighteft, as well as the largeft Star in 

 the Firmament. 



The Dog-Days denote certain Days before and after the Rifing 

 of this Star, to whofe Appearance the Antients afcrib'd terrible 

 Effefts : the very firfl Day it appears, they fay (but without Rea- 

 fon) the Sea becomes boifterous and boils like a Cauldron, pro- 

 duces Variety of Diftempers, fours Wine, and Dogs grow mad. 

 .... The Ro/nam, dreading the Indignation of this Star, facri- 

 ficed a Dog every Year to it, (viz. at its firll Appearance in our 

 Hemifphere) to appeafe its Rage againft Mortals. 



In Winter, this Italian Spider lurks in Caverns, and folitary 

 Places j and if it happens to bite, hurts not: There it lives in a 

 drowfy Pofture, and keeps Leiit till Summer ; when the whole 

 Tribe creeps out, and difperfe themfelves over that pleafant Land j 

 and Wo to the Body aQeep, and bare Legs, in Corn-Fields. 



Those on the Plains are much to be feared, the Air being 

 hotter there than on the Mountains, where their Bite is not dan- 

 gerous, 



* Voyages and Travels of the Ambaff. of Freder. Duke of Holfiein. 



