796 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



mjk* 



SOUTH AMERICAN BIRD-KILl.ING SPIDER. 



TEXAS BIRD-KILLING SPIDER. 



POISONOUS SPECIES IN THE INSECT COLLECTION. 



FROM the trend of many questions coming 

 from our vi.sitors, we note a uniform inter- 

 est in all wild creatures that are particular- 

 ly dangerous. Among the reptiles and the in- 

 sects special attention is always directed toward 

 the poisonous species. Hence it was our aim in 

 establishing the insect collection to display a 

 good series of those species that are able to in- 

 flict bites or stings that are highly painful or 

 dangerous to man. It should be explained, how- 

 ever, that a great number of the really poisonous 

 members of this collection, such as the centi- 

 pedes, scorpions and spiders, are not true in- 

 sects, but, according to technical view, belong 

 to distinct classes immediately adjacent to the 

 Class of Insects. The centipedes are regarded 

 as near allies of the insects. The scorpions and 

 spiders are embraced in another order, follow- 

 ing. In general structure and chitinous cover- 

 ing, as well as their modes of life, these crea- 

 tures appeal so strongly to the characteristics of 

 insects that it seems quite proper to include them 

 within a collection of the former. 



The most dangerous specimens in our collec- 

 tion are the centipedes. The most spectacular 

 cage in the series is one containing an enormous 

 example of a South American species, Scolopen- 



ilra gigantea. This ugly creature, which is 

 fully as wicked as it looks, is eleven inches long, 

 and with the legs spread, it is about two and a 

 half inches wide. It was captured by Mr. R. 

 R. Mole, near the city of Port-of-Spain, on the 

 island of Trinidad; and it is to Mr. Mole that 

 we are indebted for many interesting tropical 

 specimens now on exhibition here. This centi- 

 pede is fed, every five days, on a freshly-killed, 

 lialf-grown mouse, which, with the exception of 

 the skull, is entirely devoured. 



The bite of a creature like this would be high- 

 ly dangerous to man. In structure the fangs 

 of the centipede are much like those of snakes. 

 Venom is ejected from their tips, and with speci- 

 mens half the size of ours it is possible for the 

 unaided eye to detect the outlet for virus on these 

 formidable weapons. Attached to a dead speci- 

 men of this species, which was sent to New York 

 by the surgeon of one of the vessels of the U. S. 

 navj' is a note which explains that a sailor was 

 bitten by this centipede, and despite every med- 

 ical attention was, for several hours, in great 

 danger. 



Scorpions are an interesting feature in a col- 

 lection of insects, but are difficult to exhibit in a 

 satisfactory manner. They are very retiring in 

 habit, and, in fact, liglit is so distasteful to them 



