A DESCRIPTION OF 
him to perfection. At first she lolled stupidly on a chair, 
while the instruments played a dull strain. They touched 
at length the chord supposed to vibrate to her heart ; 
and up she sprang with a hideous yell, staggered about 
the room like a drunken person, holding a handkerchief 
in both hands, raising them alternately, and moving in 
very true time. As the music grew brisker, her motions 
quickened, and she skipped about with great vigour, and 
in a variety of steps, every now and then shrieking very 
loud. The scene was unpleasant, and, at his request, an 
end was put to it before the woman was tired. 
He informs us, that, wherever they are to dance, a 
place is prepared for them, hung round with bunches of 
grapes and ribbons. The patients are dressed in white, 
with red, green, or yellow ribbons ; on their shoulders 
they have a white scarf; they let their hair fall loose 
about their ears, and throw the head quite back. He 
says that they are exact copies of the ancient priestesses 
of Bacchus. The introduction of Christianity abolished 
all public exhibitions of heathenish rites ; but the women, 
unwilling to give up their darling amusement, in perform- 
ing the frantic character of Bacchantes, devised other pre- 
tences ; and he supposes that accident led them to the dis- 
covery of the Tarantula, which they took advantage of for 
that purpose. 
THE CHEESE MITE. (Acarus domesticus, or siro.) 
THESE destructive little creatures differ from spiders in 
having the thorax and abdomen united and covered 
with the same skin, though it is contracted in one part. 
They have also, when young, only six legs, though 
the two others appear afterwards ; and their feet are 
armed with strong hooks, which enable them to retain 
hold of the chesse or other food, in which they take 
up their abode. Their bodies are covered with hair, and 
quite soft, but their mouths are furnished with strong man- 
