354 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



While l'Encuerado was making the fire, Lucien discover- 

 ed under a stone an enormous black and hairy spider, with 

 feet armed with double-hooked claws. 



" Isn't this a tarantula, M. Sumichrast P 



" No, my boy, it is a bird-catching spider — so called be- 

 cause it is said to attack the humming-birds' nests and de- 

 stroy the young ones." 



" May I catch it ?" 



" Not with your fingers ; its bite is dangerous." 



" One might easily fancy it was watching us, from the 

 expression of those two big eyes near its mouth." 



" There is no doubt that it is looking at us; just menace 

 it with this little stick, and you'll soon see it assume the 

 defensive." 



The enormous spider raised its front feet, and two black 

 and polished horns issued from its mouth. After a mo- 

 ment's hesitation, it suddenly darted at the end of the stick, 

 which Lucien let go in fright. 



Ten or twelve paces farther on, the young naturalist dis- 

 covered another spider, and plied me with numerous ques- 

 tions about it. I could only give him a few general facts as 

 to this curious class of animals. 



" But, I say, papa, there must be a great many different 

 species of spiders, for I see some at every step — green, black, 

 and yellow." 



" There are so many species that all of them are not yet 

 known ; indeed, I believe that the Mexican spiders have not 

 hitherto been described. It is necessary to study them on 

 the spot, for their soft bodies change their shape in drying, 

 and the proper means of preserving them are not within the 

 reach of an ordinary traveller." 



In passing along, I broke through some threads of a light 

 web stretching between two bushes. The proprietor of the 

 web — a gray spider — immediately made its appearance, and 



