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Show 248 MR. F. PICKARD CAMBRIDGE ON THE [Apr. 15, of a very serious nature, and that wherever the variety of Latrodectus occurs which is of black coloration with vivid red spots, particularly at the apex (or tail-end) of the abdomen, the blood-poisoning is ascribed to the "sting" of this spider. Of course the spider has no sting at the tail-end, but people who feel a sudden wound are not likely to note very carefully which end of the enemy is responsible for the damage. The tail-end being brilliant red, however, looks full of venom, and hence they have jumped to the conclusion that the sting lays there. To such an extent has this belief prevailed that in Guatemala, Mr. Sarg relates, the natives assert that the spider actually squirts out its venom at the victim, and if the fluid even touches the skin, an angry eruption will supervene. The fluid which is thus ejected is not venom, however, but merely liquid - silk, an adhesive treacly fluid which the spider squirts at a captive in order to impede its struggles for liberty. In many species of the family, Theridiidse, to which Latrodectus belongs, the same phenomenon can be observed. One may be pardoned for suspecting that the red colour has given rise to the supposition that the " sting " of these spiders is extremely venomous; and whether they are the true culprits or not, suspicion would naturally fall upon them at once amongst the ignorant and unobservant. I have not heard that any venomous tendencies have ever been ascribed to L. geometricus, a large grey species, abundant in houses, outbuildings, and offices, where, if members of the genus are as bloodthirsty as has been alleged, adults and children are sure to have been bitten or " stung." I never once heard any of the natives accuse this species of stinging, or utter warnings as to the poisonous nature of its bite, though it was numerous in the houses throughout the Lower Amazons, and they were not behindhand in making the most of the dangers of the forest and the deadly nature of its inhabitants. But, then, there are no red spots on this species. Of course it may also be argued that only those species with red spots are poisonous, and that the red colour is one of nature's danger signals; Considerations which bring us no further towards a settlement of the question. Mr. Crotch, writing in 1865, referring to the variety of the common European form found in Hierro, one of the Canary Islands, says that his entomological enthusiasm was checked by solemn warnings as to the dangers incurred from the bite of a certain large black lethiferous Latrodectus malmignatus var., generally causing death unless relieved by timely and internal doses of human excrement. A little later he remarks that, so great was the contempt induced by familiarity, that he could not be restrained from picking up the deadly monster, which, though tormented in the way presumed to be most provoking to a spider, persisted in lying inert in his hands, nor could it be induced to bite by any means. |