ARACHNIDES. 457 
THE TARANTULA. (Lycosa tarentula.') 
THIS Spider is a native of the South of Europe. It lives 
in fields, and its dwelling is about four inches deep in the 
ground, half an inch wide, and closed at the mouth with 
a net. These Spiders do not live quite a year. They lay 
about seven hundred and thirty eggs, which are hatched 
in the spring. The parents never survive the winter. 
Inflammation, difficulty of breathing, and sickness, are 
said to be the invariable consequences of the bite of this 
creature. Dr. Mead, and other medical men, have coun- 
tenanced the popular story of these effects being coun- 
teracted by the power of music. It is, however, now 
well known, that this singular mode of cure was nothing 
more than a trick frequently practised on credulous tra- 
vellers, who were desirous of witnessing it. Mr. Swin- 
burne, when he was in Italy, minutely investigated every 
particular relative to the Tarantula. The season was not 
far enough advanced, and it was pretended that no persons 
had that year been yet bitten : he, however, prevailed 
upon a woman, who had formerly been bitten, to dance 
the part before him. Several musicians were summoned, 
and she performed the dance, as every one present assured 
