Injurious /o Man. II 



and Eugene Simon state, on the other hand, that the hite of thin 

 spider does not produce any ill effects, 



Family— LYCOSIDAE, Etc. 



The Lycosidae or wolf-spiders are hunting spiders, and, with 

 the exception of the Hippaseae, they do not make snares. In this 

 family the eyes are arranged in three rows, an anterior row of 

 four small eyes situated on the frontal slope of the cephalothorax 

 and two posterior rows, each of two large eyes. (Note. — The 

 arrangement of the eyes is very similar in the jumping spiders 

 (Salticidae), but, in the latter, the eyes of the front row are large, 

 especially the two middle ones.) 



The name " Tarantula " is more correctly applied to Lycosa 

 tarentula and its allies (family Lycosidae) than to the My gale-like 

 spiders. It was formerly supposed in Italy that the bite of this 

 spider gave rise to a sickness called tarentism. The chief specific 

 for the malady was music, which incited the victim to dance in a 

 frenzied and violent manner, and to continue the exercise until the 

 outbreak of a profuse perspiration effected the cure by getting rid 

 of the poison. 



Segestria perfida, Wick. (Fam. Dysderidae) and Chiracanthium 

 nutrix, Wick. (Fam. Clubionidae), have also been accused of causing 

 grave symptoms by their bite. 



Family— 4 VIC ULABIIDAE. 



The bite of some of the large " My gale " spiders (the so-called 

 " Tarantulas " which are found in tropical countries) is painful, 

 and sometimes causes considerable inflammation. 



An Egyptian species (Chaetopelma olivacea), called the " Abou- 

 shebat " by the Arabs, is said to be much feared by them owing to 

 the fatal results supposed to be produced by its bite. 



The " mygale," or " bird-eating spiders," as they are often 

 called, are allied to the trap-door spiders, and, like them, can 

 easily be recognized by the appearance of their mandibles 

 (chelicerae), which project straight forwards, instead of being 

 directed vertically or obliquely, so as to form an angle 

 with the front of the cephalothorax, as is the case in other 

 spiders. 



