the dimensions of his body. On the 14th of July, I had to leave
Valencia; and I stayed away until the 23rd. During this time, the
Tarantula fasted; I found him looking quite well on my return. On the
20th of August, I again left for a nine days' absence, which my
prisoner bore without food and without detriment to his health. On
the 1st of October, I once more deserted the Tarantula, leaving him
without provisions. On the 21st, I was fifty miles from Valencia and,
as I intended to remain there, I sent a servant to fetch him. I was
sorry to learn that he was not found in the jar, and I never heard
what became of him.

'I will end my observations on the Tarantulae with a short description
of a curious fight between those animals. One day, when I had had a
successful hunt after these Lycosae, I picked out two full-grown and
very powerful males and brought them together in a wide jar, in order
to enjoy the sight of a combat to the death. After walking round the
arena several times, to try and avoid each other, they were not slow
in placing themselves in a warlike attitude, as though at a given
signal. I saw them, to my surprise, take their distances and sit up
solemnly on their hind-legs, so as mutually to present the shield of
their chests to each other. After watching them face to face like
that for two minutes, during which they had doubtless provoked each
other by glances that escaped my own, I saw them fling themselves upon
each other at the same time, twisting their legs round each other and
obstinately struggling to bite each other with the fangs of the
mandibles. Whether from fatigue or from convention, the combat was
suspended; there was a few seconds' truce; and each athlete moved away
and resumed his threatening posture. This circumstance reminded me
that, in the strange fights between cats, there are also suspensions
of hostilities. But the contest was soon renewed between my two