xv] SOME CONCLUDING REFLEXIONS 127 



with it in anticipation, though perhaps he is wronging 

 his readers in supposing that they desire to propound 

 any such conundrum. This question is : What is the 

 tixe of spiders? 



Now underlying this question there is surely a 

 very unwarranted assumption that all the myriad 

 creatures which exist have, as a reason for their 

 existence, some reference to the activities and desires 

 of mankind. As far as it has any meaning at all it 

 amounts to this : What benefit does man derive from 

 spiders? But it seems to take for granted that some 

 benefits must accrue to man from these creatures, or 

 they would not have the audacity to persist in living. 

 Well, if the question in this amended form is in 

 urgent need of an answer, the reply must be: very 

 little if any. Certainly spiders prey as a rule on 

 insects and no doubt kill many which might injure us, 

 and in the constant battles between man and insect 

 pests, instances have been recorded where particular 

 species of spider have fought on the side of man with 

 appreciable effect. But then they are as likely to 

 devour our insect friends as our insect enemies, 

 impartially slaying the just together with the un- 

 just, so that little stress can be laid on their utility on 

 this score. Indeed there is quite as good a case to be 

 made out of man benefiting spiders as of spiders 

 benefiting man, for his architectural proclivities have 

 provided some species with secure homes from which 



