250 ME. p. PICKARD CAMBRIBGE ON THE [-^W' ^^J 



creature was held when being applied to the patient ! The 

 mandibles of Latrodectus are so insignificant that they would, 

 for instance, scarcely pierce the thick skin of the fingers. 



In the face of so much evidence, however, one would not wish 

 to siTggest that the animals whose symptoms are described were 

 not actually bitten by the spider in the presence of and under the 

 eye of a competent observer ; only one must insist that it is a 

 great pity that, if so, this is not distinctly stated and the modus 

 operandi described by Dr. Puga Borne. It is so easy to settle the 

 point once for all, and so silence scepticism. In every case, how- 

 ever, which has come under my notice, it has always been taken 

 for granted at the outset that the wound was inflicted by the 

 spider ; and this being the only point on which proof is desirable, 

 we are given abundant evidence on the character of the sub- 

 sequent symptoms and every other point except this. 



A New Zealand friend of mine assured me that his friend's dog 

 had been bitten by a Katipo, and fancied he had proved the case 

 up to the hilt when he declared that he had seen the dog running- 

 round in circles on the lawn. Certainly, there must have been 

 something seriously wi'ong with his fiiend's dog, but the lament- 

 able symptoms described were no proof that a Katipo was the 

 cause of the trouble. 



One would therefore urge those who happen to be in the 

 Katipo country to try and get first-hand evidence. It is not 

 sufficient to see a Katipo in the neighbourhood of the tragedy, 

 nor to see one crawling on the victim's clothes, nor even to find 

 one crawling under the clothes of the person bitten. If a dozen 

 healthy boys could be induced for a consideration to allow them- 

 selves to be bitten under competent observation, the matter 

 might be settled once and for all — or, failing this, experiments 

 might be made on mice, though one cannot suggest how the 

 spiders are to be induced to bite in either case. 



These reports of the symptoms manifested in cases coming in 

 for treatment suffering from the supposed bite of the spider are 

 of no value whatever as evidence as to what was the originating 

 cause of those symptoms. 



It may be interesting to gather together the various names 

 under which the members of this genus are known in the different 

 countries where they enjoy such evil reputation. 



In New Zealand it is known as the Katipo ; in the Philippines 

 as the Laitalaua ; in Mexico and Central America as the Arana 

 capidina, because of the resemblance which the abdomen bears to 

 the fruit of the CapoUin c\\qvvj [Cerasus capollinus) ; in Guatemala 

 as the Casampidga ; in Madagascar as the Menavoii,di ; in Chili 

 as the Pallu or (ruina ; in Italy as the Mahnignatte ; in the 

 Russian Steppes as the Kavakurt ; in Bolivia as the Mico ; in 

 Peru as the Lucacha ; and in the Antilles as the Araiia naranja. 

 I must here express my thanks to M. E. Simon, Prof. Kul- 

 czynski, Mr. H. R. Hogg, and Mr. R. I. Pocock for kindly allowing 

 me to examine specimens of the genus ; and I am also indebted 



