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si on ally avenge themselves for the evils they endure from their 
formidable adversary, and fall upon him in such numbers, 
that he is unable to defend himself, and is finally devoured. 
M. Moreau de Jonnes, who, during a residence of many 
years in Martinique, had especially devoted himself to the 
study of the natural productions of that island, communicated 
to M. Latreille a digest of the observations which he had 
made on the subject of a species of mygale very common in 
that country. We shall present our readers with the short, 
but interesting statement of facts which he has adduced. 
“ The mygale amcularia bears in the Antilles the name of 
crab-spider . It also preserves that of Matoutoii , given to it 
originally by the Caribs. This species is the largest of two 
hundred which are known to naturalists. Its length is an 
inch and a half, and when its feet are extended, it covers a 
surface of six or seven inches. It avoids inhabited places, 
and I have never found it in the towns, where the hunting- 
spider of Linnseus, and six other species of the same genus 
are, on the contrary, extremely multiplied. 
“ As M. Latreille had recognized by the mere inspection 
of the organization of the animal, it spins no web, to serve it 
as a dwelling. It burrows, and lies in ambush in the clefts 
of hollow ravines, in volcanic tufas, or in decomposed lava. 
It often hunts to a considerable distance, and conceals itself 
under leaves to surprise its prey, or it climbs on the branches 
of trees to devour the young of the colibris and the certhia 
jiaveola. Tt usually takes advantage of the night to attack 
its enemies, and it is commonly on its return towards its 
burrow that one may meet it in the morning, and catch it 
when the dew, with which the plants are charged, slackens 
its walk. 
“ The muscular force of the mygale is very great, and it is 
particularly difficult to make it let go the objects which it has 
seized, even when their surface affords no purchase, either to 
