24 



WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11th, 1899. 



^urnscoptcal lemonstratton 



(METHODS OF CUTTING AND MOUNTING), 



BY 



Mr. D. E. CAUSH, L.D.S. 



THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16th, 1899. 



^pibers : tijrir Mnrk an& their Mistrom, 



BY 



Dr. DALLINGER, F.R.S., &c. 



DR. DALLINGER commenced by admitting the prejudice 

 against spiders, observing that the poor creature, rather 

 than being an object for careful and sympathetic observation, 

 generally inspired no feelings but those of loathing and disgust. 

 These feelings were inculcated from the days of the nursery ; the 

 strong crushed the spider, the weak and the timid fled from it, 

 and to the ignorant it was an object for repugnance and con- 

 tempt. The cause of all this was to be summed up in two 

 words, "Inherited prejudice." The prejudice was in no sense 

 justified by facts. After this introduction, Dr. Dallinger went 

 into the subject quite from the point of view of the scientific 

 observer. Of the abundant folk-lore and superstitions that have 

 grown around the spider, he mentioned only the Greek story of 

 Arachne, the daughter of a Lydian dyer, and so skilful in spin- 

 ning that she challenged the goddess Athene to a trial in the art. 

 Arachne's work was so beautiful that the goddess, like any ordi- 

 nary mortal, was filled with jealousy, and tore the embroidery to 

 pieces. Poor Arachne hanged herself, and the goddess, smitten 



