33 



" Api'il 6. Better, but tongue rather yellow. Repeated mixture with an 

 increase of ammonia. 



"April 7. Every bad symptom abated. 



"Aprils. Discharged well." 



Dr. Wright, in describing a case within his own practice at Auckland, 

 states that the patient, who was^a stout strong man, within an hour after 

 being bitten by a Katipo, on attempting to eat, found that he could not open 

 his mouth, or was scarcely able to articulate in consequence of stiffness about 

 the jaws. The symptoms grew rapidly worse, and the patient became faint 

 and almost pulseless. His extremities wei-e cold and flaccid, his respiration 

 almost ceased, and his two medical attendants had fears that he was about to 

 expire. Spirits of ammonia were applied to the wound, which had the effect 

 of reducing the swelling and abating the pain ; ammonia and water, afterwards 

 combined with brandy, were administered in considerable doses. Under this 

 treatment the patient gradually improved, and in two hours was able to return 

 home, but for several days after was unable to return to his work. Dr. Wright 

 concludes that "from the symptoms of this case, the man was powerfully 

 affected by a narcotic and irritating poison, which being absorbed into the 

 circulation, affected the heart, brain, and nervous system to a very considerable 

 extent, almost amounting to fatal syncope, — that the stimulants, by exciting 

 the heart's action, gradually aroused the excretory functions so as ultimately 

 to I'emove the poison from the system." 



Enough has been said to show that the bite of the Katipo, although seldom 

 fatal, is very painful and distressing. It is important, therefore, that those 

 whose avocations lead them to the sea shore, should be able to distinguish 

 it readily from other spiders, and to know its haunts, so as to avoid them. I 

 have satisfied myself that in common with many other venomous creatures, it 

 only exerts its dreaded power as a means of defence, or when greatly irritated; 

 for I have observed that on being toiTched with the finger, it instantly folds its 

 legs, rolls over on its back, and simulates death, remaining perfectly motionless 

 till further molested, when it atl;empts to escape, only using its fangs as the 

 dernier ressort. 



The cocoon, or nest of the Katipo, is perfectly spherical in shape, opaque, 

 yellowish white, and composed of a silky web of very fine texture. The eggs 

 are of the size of mustard seed, perfectly round, and of a transparent purplish 

 red. They are agglutinated together in the form of a ball, and are placed in 

 the centre of the cocoon, the exterior surface of which is sometimes encrusted 

 with sand. 



The Katipo undergoes the following changes in its progress towards 

 matui'ity. In the very young state, it has the body white with two linear 

 series of connected black spots, and an intermediate line of pale I'ed ; under 

 parts brown ; legs light brown with black joints. In the next stage, the fore 



