[26 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



THE TEXAS TARANTULA. 



tarantular. I prepared the accompany- 

 ing photograph of two poison fangs of 

 such tarantula (sent separately by Mr. 

 Denton) showing the artificially opened 

 mandible in one of the specimens, and 

 the venom canal in the claw of the other, 

 slightly magnified. 



The venom is stored up in the mandible 

 cavity which communicates with the 

 main cavity of the poison fang, as seen 

 in the opened specimen. The latter has 

 a very minute outlet at the upper curva- 

 ture (a) of the fang near its apex, re- 

 sembling in this respect the mechanism 

 of the rattlesnake's fang. Both of the 

 mandible cavities were filled with a pecu- 

 liar whitish and glittering material and 

 muscular tissue (on microscopic examin- 

 ation). The mandible and fang consist, 

 externally, of a hard, dark brown shell, 

 and both mandibles are covered with 

 black hairv bristles. When in the act of 

 inoculating i*s victim (ani as noticed by 

 me and Doctor Lange in the rat case I 

 both mandibles are put in motion in an 

 erect posture, and both fangs are also 

 erected when they are plunged into the 

 flesh of the victim and a minimum 

 quantity of the deadly venom injected 



into the tissues. ( )nce injecte 1 this poi- 

 son acts slowly but surely, gradually 

 paralyzing the motor centers and res- 

 piration. 



Yours truly, 



R. Menger, M. D. 



Am well pleased with your maga- 

 zine. It gives an educator a mini of 



inspiration along the line. — Chas L. 

 Pry, Palestine, Illinois. 



You have noticeably improved the 

 appearance of all illustrations printed 

 therein, over former issues, and my 

 view, has been very faithfully repro- 

 duced. Mr. 1 Iuntsinger's admirable 

 flower studies are exquisitely rendered, 

 and his article most interestingly in- 

 structive; likewise the leading article 

 by yourself. My friends who have 

 already received the "monthly visitor" 

 are loud in praise of it. — Frank P. Jew- 

 ett, Orange, Nezv Jersey. 



THE FANGS OF THE TARANTULA. 



