1842.] Captain Thos. Hutton on Galeodes (Vorax.) 861 



it could not shake off its adversary, turned its head and bit the Gale- 

 odes on one leg, which obliged it immediately to quit its hold and 

 retreat ; this was owing to the seizure having been made too low down 

 on the body, for in general the Galeodes seizes as close behind the 

 shoulder as can be, in order to put it out of the victim's power to turn 

 and bite ; the lizard was allowed to escape with only a severe wound 

 in the side, but as it lived for some days before I allowed it to run off, 

 the bite of the Galeodes would not appear to be poisonous. 



On another occasion, my friend Dr. Baddeley confined one of these 

 spiders in a wall-shade with two young musk rats, (Sorex Indicus), 

 both of which were killed by it. 



When two of these spiders are confined in a vessel together, both 

 endeavour to make their escape, as if conscious of their mutual danger. 

 If in their efforts to get away they are brought into contact, the one 

 instantly seizes the other and devours him, the victim making no 

 struggles whatever ; but if they meet face to face, both enter into 

 a wrestling match for life or death. 



They plant their true feet firmly on the ground, the body at the 

 same time being elevated, and the two pairs of palpi held out in front 

 to ward off the attack. In this attitude they advance and retire, accord- 

 ing as either gains a slight advantage, endeavouring to throw each 

 other to one side, so as to expose some vulnerable part, or form an 

 opening for attack, and when this is once effected, the fortunate wrest- 

 ler instantly takes advantage of it, and rushing in, seizes his adversary 

 behind the thorax, and the combat is ended; the vanquished victim 

 yielding himself without further struggle to his inevitable fate. 



The same species occurs in the Bhawulpore country, from whence 

 I obtained it when constructing the road for the advance of the Army 

 of the Indus in 1838. It is also abundant in Afghanistan, where in 

 all probability it is the species mistaken by Elphinstone for the Ta- 

 rantula, which he describes as common in that country, but which 

 I neither saw nor heard of. 



The usual size of an adult specimen of *' Galeodes (vorax",) mihi, 

 is about 2\ to 2§ inches long, and the body or abdomen equal to a 

 thrush's egg. When in motion, the body is elevated off the ground, 

 and the two pairs of palpi or feelers are stretched out ready to make 

 a seizure; it progresses therefore solely upon the true legs, which 



