180 LYCOSA TARENTULA. 



This species is the famous Tarentula Spider of which such mar- 

 vellous accounts have been given by travellers, who have described 

 its bite as generally fatal, and to be curable only by music. It is 

 a native of the south of Europe, and is generally found during 

 winter in a deep hole, formed in the declivity of small hillocks ; 

 but in the summer it keeps in the air, and spins its web. It is 

 one of the largest of the European spiders ; the upper part of the 

 body is of a greyish-brown colour ; the mandibles and middle of 

 the palpi ferruginous ; the margin of the thorax is grey with a 

 radiated dorsal line of the same colour. The anterior part of the 

 dorsum of the abdomen is marked with triagonal spots, hinder part 

 with bent transverse black strigaj margined with white ; the belly 

 is of a fine deep saffron colour, with a transverse black band ; the 

 thighs and tibiae below yellowish white, with two black spots. The 

 figure of the Tarentula and of the following species (Galeodes ara- 

 neoides) were drawn from specimens in the collection of the 

 British Museum. 



The name Tarentula is derived from Tarentum (now Taranto), 

 in the kingdom of Naples, near which place they were supposed to 

 be found in the greatest plenty. The Lycosa Tarentula Narho- 

 nensis, of Walcknaer, (Aranea Tarentula, Oliv.) is much smaller 

 than the present species, and the abdomen is black, with a saffron- 

 coloured anus. 



The effects ascribed to the bite of this animal, and their cure by 

 music and dancing till a profuse perspiration is produced, is now 

 no longer believed. Dr. Serao, an Italian physician, has written 

 an ingenious work in which he has completely exploded this opinion 

 as a popular error ; and Dr. Cirillo, professor of Natural History 

 in Naples, found, on experiment, that the only symptoms which 

 followed the wound of the Tarentula was a trifling inflammation of 

 the part, similar to that produced by the sting of the common 

 scorpion. Dr. Clavitio submitted to be bitten by this animal, 

 and no bad effects ensued ; and the Count de Borch, a Polish 

 nobleman, bribed a man to undergo the same experiment, in whom 

 the only symptom was a swelling in the hand, attended by into- 

 lerable itching. 



