58 WILDER, TERMEYER'S 



It is true, however, that by this means one will never 

 make so extensive a collection of cocoons, as by preserving 

 the eggs and rearing in cases the little spiders which come 

 from them. Spiders could be kept in houses, were it not for 

 two circumstances, the opinion that they are noxious or 

 venomous (which is not true),* 1 and cleanliness, which, per- 

 haps, is not always well considered ; because, if on the one 

 hand, the cobwebs disfigure the walls and furniture, on the 

 other, they rid us of an infinite number of disagreeable, nox- 

 ious and disgusting insects, and that this may not seem a 

 paradox, let us consider the innumerable flies of many kinds, 

 of mosquitoes and of other insects which fly about us, of 

 bugs and fleas that are taken by the spider ophilionoide, 

 which extends its horizontal net near the level of the earth, 

 and under tables and beds. Thus in spiders' nets are left 

 hanging the flies, which, not content with eating or defiling 

 food destined for man, make it a feeding-place for their 

 worms ; and even more useful are spiders in collecting the 

 butterflies and moths, the dermestes, acari, etc. I do not 

 mean by this, that we are to allow spiders to encumber our 

 rooms and our beds. I merely declare that the cruel war 

 we are accustomed to wage against them is not a profitable 

 thing. Spiders ought at least to be found useful in stables, 

 where they devour both the common fly and the gad-fly, so 

 troublesome to horses and cattle, and also in wine-presses, 

 where so many insects are flying about while the must is 

 forming. 



Although, for the aforesaid reason of cleanliness, spi- 

 ders may not be desirable inmates of houses, no one will 

 object to their' being nourished upon the trees, in gardens 

 and fields ; but since birds and reptiles, and also other insects 

 make them their prey, if you wish to rear them in great 

 numbers, it will be necessary to protect them, at least, at 

 first, since at the time of hatching, their foes make great 

 havoc among them. 



in number, would have given me as many little spiders the next year. But 

 an unexpected command and an irresistible power called me away from that 

 country. What a pity, and what a loss ! 



d. It probably is not true to the same extent with all spiders. [RE- 

 VISER.] 



