275 



I agree with an ancient writer on the subject of venom of this species : * 



" Have spiders venom ? Yes, they possess it, but its action is relative to the animal 

 attacked. A fly pierced by a larger spider perishes in a few moments ; other insects 

 die more slowly, acording to their size; but a man bitten by a spider, even a large 

 one around Paris, would not be hurt perhaps any more than by the bite of a gnat. 

 In southern climates, however, where these creatures are larger, their wounds can be 

 more serious. They appear to bring about local inflammations which, if the subject 

 is healthy, have no serious consequences, but if the person is predisposed to the action 

 of poison, if he neglects to take care of himself, the heat of the climate will bring 

 more or less grave results, which in certain cases can bring about death." 



In this way, upon the shores of Madagascar where the temperature is warm the bite 

 oJ the Menavody is reported as more serious than in the interior of the island where the 

 climate is cooler. In no jilace, however, does it seem to have more dangerous effects 

 than that of other venomous insects, such as the Scolopendra. This opinion is con- 

 firmed by information which I have collected from several competent natives. It is 

 related that the Marechal de Saxe was obliged to stop at a tavern where they had 

 only one unoccupied bed, in which all ol the travelers who had dared to sleep had died 

 without the cause having ever been ascertained. The Marechal, notwithstanding, 

 took possession of the fatal bed and made his servants sit at the side. Then at the 

 end of some moments they were astonished and frightened to see their master grow 

 pale and appear as if about to die, without seeing anything. In trying to revive him 

 they saw upon his breast a large black spider which was sucking his blood, and 

 which caused the death of the Marechal. 



It is, if I do not deceive myself, with our Vancoho and Menavody as with the black 

 spider of the Marechal de Saxe — the terrible effects of its bite exist only in legendary 

 lore. 



Since the publication of these notes [M. Cambou^ writes us], I have heard from 

 the east shore of the island that it is not the bite of the spidei", bnt contact with the 

 crushed body, which produces the inoculation of venom bringing about the gravest 

 symptoms with man aud even with the Zebu. I hope later to be able to control the 

 difficulty by inoculations upon different animals, such as poultry, rabbits, and sheep, 

 and I will not fail to inform you of the result of my observations. Even now I be- 

 lieve that my conclusions in my notes are correct and that Latrodectus has without 

 doubt a venom, but a venom whose noxious effect upon man varies with the crowd of 

 circumstances (climate, temperament, etc). 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



Injury to Grass from Gastroidea polygon!. 



In your reply to inquiry of N. R. Smithson, Winchester, 111., on page 190, vol. 2, 

 Insect Life, you state that this species injures no crop and feeds solely on weeds of 

 the genus Polygonum. While this is true as a rule, there are exceptions. I have ob- 

 served both larv£e and adults feeding on what seemed to be a species of dock, the 

 specific name of which I do not kuow, but can ascertain in the future by further 

 observation. 



On June 22, 1886, two of the beetles were observed feeding upon heads of timo- 

 thy, apparently eating both the involucre and incipient seeds. While the species 

 may not be injurious, it will certainly bear watching. — [F. M. Webster, Lafayette, 

 Ind., January 17, 1890. 



*Achille Percheron. 



