The Life of a Spider 



poison is not serious for us and causes less 

 inconvenience than a Gnat-bite. That, at least, 

 is what we can safely say as regards the great 

 majority of the Spiders of our regions. 



Nevertheless, a few are to be feared ; and 

 foremost among these is the Malmignatte, the 

 terror of the Corsican peasantry. I have seen 

 her settle in the furrows, lay out her web and 

 rush boldly at insects larger than herself ; I 

 have admired her garb of black velvet speckled 

 with carmine-red ; above all, I have heard most 

 disquieting stories told about her. Around 

 Ajaccio and Bonifacio, her bite is reputed very 

 dangerous, sometimes mortal. The countryman 

 declares this for a fact and the doctor does 

 not always dare deny it. In the neighbourhood 

 of Pujaud, not far from Avignon, the har- 

 vesters speak with dread of Theridion luguhre} 

 first observed by Leon Dufour in the Catalonian 

 mountains ; according to them, her bite would 

 lead to serious accidents. The Italians have 

 bestowed a bad reputation on the Tarantula, 

 who produces convulsions and frenzied dances 



* A small or moderate-sized spider found among foliage. — 

 Translator's Note. 



