OE INSECTS. 
339 
where those insects are in great numbers, there was a 
man, who thinking himself bitten by a tarantula, shewed 
in his neck a small speck, about which, in a very short 
time, there arose some pimples full of a serous humour; 
and that, in a few hours after, the poor man was sorely 
afflicted with violent symptoms, as syncopies, very great 
agitations, giddiness of the head, and vomiting; but that 
without any inclination at all to dance, and without any 
desire of having any musical instruments, he miserably 
died within two days.” Various opinions, however, are 
entertained on the subject, and many sensible people, dif- 
fer with the doctor, and affirm, that music has the power, 
to counteract the effects of the poison of the tarantula. 
Great American Spider. (PI. 55.) This is one 
of the largest species of the tribe. Its back is covered 
with a hard, thick brown coat, hollowed at the sides, and 
cleft transversely across the middle, as if it had a hole 
in that place. The head is small and with difficulty dis- 
tinguished from the corselet. The mouth is furnished 
with brown, hard, crooked teeth: the body is large and 
round, growing out into two parts. The whole body, 
except the back, and the feet, are covered with long 
bushy hair; an exact representation of which is delin- 
eated in the engraving, which shows the under part of 
the same spider. The extremeties of the feet are smooth 
and large, like the toes of a dog. 
This hideous species of the spider tribe, preys princi- 
pally on small birds; in doing of which, it tears them to 
pieces in a cruel manner to get at their blood, and after- 
wards sucks their eggs. 
Barbary Spider. This species is as large ash man’s 
thumb, and is a native of Barbary. It inhabits hedges 
and thickets: its webs have large meshes, and it resides 
in the centre upon its nest. The snares are spread for 
large flies, wasps, drones, and even locusts. The animal 
which it entangles is soon killed by the spider, anel partly 
eaten if the spider be hungry; the rest is concealed under 
some neighbouring dry leaves, covered with a kind of 
web, and a blackish glue in great abundance. Its larder 
is often plentifully stored. Its nest is about the size of 
