OF WASHINGTON. 173 
this passage in Garcilasso, and for this reason I thought it worth while to 
call attention thereto. Long before the end of the i6th century every 
trace of silk-culture in Mexico had disappeared, and its breakdown is clearly 
foreshadowed in Garcilasso's words just quoted. They show that as early 
as 1543 there "was no money" in silk industry, and that this was held in 
contempt by the average Spaniard. The omission in the passage, no 
doubt by accident, of any mention of raising silk-worms, only stating that 
the people planted mulberry trees, is nevertheless very significant, and 
reminds one forcibly of that period in the history of silk industry in North 
America known as the Multicaulis fever, when silk-culture was carried on, 
not by raising silk-worms, but by planting mulberry trees of the mnlticaulis 
variety with a view of selling them at exorbitant prices under the pretext 
that there was an enormous profit in that business. As every one knows, 
this fever terminated suddenly and disastrously in the year 1839. 
Dr. Fox gave some notes on the spiders collected by him dur- 
ing the summer of 1888, at Lookout Mountain, Tenn. He gave 
some notes on the habits of the species of Lycosa found by him 
and on their distribution. Two species of Dolomedes were found 
around an old vat, long since disused, and only supplied by a 
very small mountain brook. The habits of the species were de- 
scribed and the manner of formation of the little colony here found 
was suggested. He also called attention to the habits of Lycosa 
nidifex Marx, which, as observed by him, are somewhat different 
than described by Dr. Marx. The nest, as he observed it, has a 
chamber near the bottom. 
He also stated that he found a species of Argyrodes in one 
corner of the web of Hypochilus. 
Dr. Marx said as to Lycosa nidifex his observations were 
correctly described, but he is quite ready to believe that the 
habits of the spider differ somewhat in different localities. As 
to Argyrodes this observation is in accord with the known 
habits of the genus, which builds no webs of its own, but lives 
cuckoo-like in the nests of other species. He added that this is 
the season when gossamer spiders can be Vjest observed, and 
that he has already seen them in large numbers. 
Mr. Howard suggested that it would be also a good season to 
collect egg-bags of spiders with the view of raising parasites, as 
in this country but few such were known. Prof. Riley suggested 
that larvae of Mantispa might also be obtained. 
Prof. Riley also spoke of the habits of a species of Agalena 
